FLCL: The Return
by M.A. Moreland of HotIce INC
Summary: Save it for next time.' Well, next time is now! Picking up from the end of Fooly Cooly, this sequel is the first in a two-part series explaining what happened after that guitar plucked it's own chord... Adult themed.
1. Chapter 1: An accident

_As I walked into my house after school that day, I didn't really know why, but I had a funny feeling. It'd been three years since Haruko and Mamimi left, and things had gotten boring again. Ordinary. It felt normal, but at the same time...I hated it._

"Naota, is that you?" Grandpa's voice calls from the kitchen as the boy opens and closes the front door into the living room.

"Yeah, Grandpa. I'm just heading upstairs to start my homework." The boy, now of fourteen responds on his way through to the stairs.

"Check on that guitar of yours first. The one in the living room. It's been making all kinds of noise all day!" The man calls, slightly irritated.

Blinking a bit, Naota echoes slightly in surprise before looking to the living room. "...making noise..." Stepping into the living room, he walks to the guitar and picks it up, watching for a moment and almost dropping it when it plucks another cord on its own. Frowning and sagging a bit, he sighs and puts it over his shoulder. "...Alien guitar. Who knows?" Then becoming thoughtful, it occurs to him just who would know and he squints a bit. "...Hm." before starting upstairs with the guitar as well.

Once in his room, Naota looks around, seeming almost expectant before placing it at the side of his own and flopping onto his bed, pulling out his homework with a sigh.

* * *

"Nao, dinner!" Naota's father calls from down stairs, interrupting the boy as he strums away at his guitar, looking over the guitar in the corner as it continues to strum, though now, in a very slow tune.

Watching the guitar in the corner as he puts his own aside, Naota takes a towel and slings it around the instrument to dull the noise, having realized he was just copying the tune it's been playing all day, before leaving his room and heading downstairs.

He had half anticipated to see Haruko sitting at the table, so when he doesn't see her there, the look of disappointment is hard to hide in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Naota-kun?" Kamon asks, tilting his head once. "You don't want dinner? I thought it'd cheer you up. Little Prince Curry goes to Manhattan!" He says enthusiastically, a sly grin on his face.

"Nothing's wrong...." the younger male utters distractedly while bringing the spoon to his mouth, then blinking before he sighs in exasperation and just goes about eating.

"..It's actually the mildly sweet kind." Grandpa offers, taking a bit as Kamon seems not to take notice.

"Yeah, I noticed..." Naota utters back, still a bit distracted as flashbacks of Haruko come back to him, and he can tell that the music from the guitar has gotten louder, or else he's starting to hear things. "..hrm..."

The three eat in near silence before Kamon, taking a panting breath, utters with an almost painful sound. "..you miss haruko-san."

"..It's just because of that guitar..." Naota lies with a squint. "How's a guitar just start playing all by itself? And Miyu-miyu won't go near it... ...It's like it's cursed or haunted or something..."

"Maybe Haruko-san's coming back." Kamon utters before a lecherous grin spreads across his face and he swallows harshly on his curry as Kanti walks up to the table, placing glasses of water at each of their sides.

"...Well at least Kanti's been acting........normal.." Naota mutters with a bit of irony as he picks up his water. "...As normal as a robot maid can be, anyway..."

As an odd hue comes to the screen of the robot, Grandpa just grunts derisively. "It might not be normal, but I've sure gotten used to it."

Sighing slightly, now very much honestly able to tell that the guitar itself has gotten louder, Naota looks down at his food a moment as he wonders if Haruko really would be coming back or if she could be upstairs actually playing now. Frowning again, the young boy twitches oddly at the thought before uttering. "...May I be excused...?"

Blinking up at Naota, Kamon just nods before watching the boy hurriedly stand, and stride through the house and up the stairs.

Naota stops at the door to his room and listens to the guitar for a moment before he squints and throws open the door, just in time to see Haruko come through the window, crashing into the floor with a shard of glass jammed into either of her eyes as she lies bleeding on the carpet. Jumping back, and calling out.. he blinks and everything is normal again.....then the guitar strums again. Gritting his teeth and swallowing he rushes to the window quickly, throwing it open before leaning out onto the balcony to stare into the sky for a moment, before nothing seems to happen and he sighs and slinks back inside without closing the window again.

* * *

_That night, I dreamed of Mamimi and the day I met Haruko. It was kinda nice to relive that day in my mind; to see Mamimi and how things used to be. But more than that, I didn't like it because it pointed out to me how much Haruko had changed and I liked the newer Haruko better; a lot better. I had heard the music from the guitar almost all night in my dream, I assumed it had just filtered through..._

_When I came home from school, the guitar's tune had sped up a little bit. When I heard it from the hall, I all but ran into my room and for the third time I felt my heart sink a little when I realized Haruko wasn't playing it. I tried to work on my homework, but the guitar's playing distracted me. It was almost haunting. When I looked over at it I kept almost seeing her standing next to it but it wasn't a vision, it was just wishful thinking. After I'd gone so long without seeing her, I couldn't figure out yet if I was angry that the guitar had started playing and disrupted my once again normal day to day life or if I was happy that after a whole year there was finally something interesting going on in my house again and it had to do with Haruko in some way._

_When my dad called me to dinner, I'd realized I'd fallen asleep looking at Haruko's guitar and listening to it play. My homework was barely half done. It was time for dinner and my bath, I barely had any time to finish it._

_I'd had another dream about Haruko, but this one was a lot more jumbled. I had memories that were strung together but in the wrong order. Like the alphabet with numbers thrown in. The rest of the night went on pretty normal and I was even able to focus enough to finish my homework even though the guitar played on. But I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen or that something was incomplete, so I left the window open just incase, and I kept finding myself touching my forehead just out of paranoia. Maybe I expected for Haruko to come out that way... now that'd be a stretch... _

_I had another dream that night, too. But this one had so many memories out of place, I almost started questioning what order they really came in. And almost the entire dream revolved around Haruko. It hurt to have to see her leave again because the dream felt so real but then it helped me remember: she said she'd be back._

_"You know what? Forget it. Because you're still just a kid, Takkun. Save it for next time."_

_It made me realize that maybe she really was coming back. The thought comforted me a lot. But at the same time it also made me realize that if she was coming back then there was probably something wrong. And it probably had to do with Atimosk._

_I'd never felt jealousy before; not like this. And the first time I'd ever felt jealousy was over Haruko, too. As jealous as I was with my father, I never saw him as much of a threat compared to Atimosk. Even Mamimi had only ever made me angry and not jealous until the day in front of Cafe Bleu. I didn't like the taste of jealousy. It tasted sour._

Walking down the stairs the next morning, Naota straightens his shirt as he heads for the kitchen. Moving to seat himself at the table, his grandfather looks up at him for a moment before a half-smile crosses his face and then disappears.

"You have a guest waiting for you in the living room. They came some time last night and I'm pretty sure they're still asleep but..." And then he seems thoughtful as he takes a bite from his miso soup. "If you wanted to call a day off from school, I wouldn't mind writing you a note tomorrow.

Blinking, while his eyes widen a bit, Naota seems to take this all in at once before swallowing a bit and then nodding. "A....alright... Thank you, Grandpa..." While his mind reels over the dreams, and the guitar... as well as the gruesome vision he saw the first day it started playing. It was obvious his grandfather was trying to remain vague until he could see for himself, so he tries not to get his hopes up as much as possible. Forgetting his breakfast, at least for now, he heads into the living room while looking around expectantly before his eyes widen further and he just gasps when the whole world seems to stop. Laying on the couch, still fast asleep as well as a bit sprawled is the bandaged form of Haruhara Haruko. With his eyes locked on her he steps back and stumbles into the dining room again, before uttering out. "..G..gran..Grandpa... she's....does...does my dad....?"

"He's been in the bakery almost since sunrise and he didn't stop in the living room at all on his way out. I'm the one who let her in." His grandfather returns before stepping into the living room, seeming slightly hesitant considering he left his breakfast behind.

"Was it bad...?" Naota utters, as if for fear even talking will wake her, and he doesn't know what kind of pain she might be in.

"She would have been a lot worse if I hadn't been standing outside trying to get away from the racket of that guitar. She was headed for your window before she saw me, and damn near crashed into me...." he utters the last before murmuring 'crazy bitch' under his breath for Naota's sake.

Rubbing the back of his head, Naota mutters as he tries to keep from envisioning Haruko with her eyes stabbed through. "...Well there's nothing unusual about that..." But then he sighs and drops his hand. He walks forward again into the living room and toward the couch.

Haruko lies, still asleep on the couch, though now, she's curled up slightly. With the blanket shifted, Naota can now see the bandages strewn across her body, wrapped not only around her head, but over her right leg that he can see, both her arms, and across her midsection, where her shirt has been partially torn away, exposing her bare midriff and the left cup of her black bra. A few strands of her hair have fallen over her panged face.

Blinking a little as the worry sifts through his eyes, he doesn't even seem to notice the tears that come before he looks down and happens to notice one fall. Sagging a bit while sniffling slightly he slips down to sit in front of the couch with his legs crossed and his hands loosely in his lap.

"...Yeah, I'll be writing that note now..." Grandpa utters as he turns from the room back towards the kitchen. Then the man calls, almost hesitantly. "You really should wake her up. It's breakfast and if she doesn't eat, she won't heal properly."

Lifting his head, and looking to the kitchen, Naota looks down thoughtfully before looking up at Haruko, and is unable to help but think of how pitiful...and in a way, how cute she looks curled up and asleep, but pitifully cute at that like a stray animal brought in from the cold. Sighing a bit, he shifts up onto his knees, and closer to the couch. Suddenly he seems hesitant to shake her, and frowns a little in consideration on how to wake her exactly. Then he stands and leaves the room completely. The young boy walks through the house without a word, up to his room and takes his guitar, but not before noticing that Haruko's has stopped playing. Assuming that it must have been the reason; Haruko's return, he just walks from the room and back downstairs. Seating in front of the couch he just begins to strum the notes that have been playing non-stop for the last few days.

After a few moments, Haruko winces and flinches in pain before her golden yellow eyes slowly and tiredly open and meet with the blue of Naota's. She blinks once before shifting slightly then whining in pain before settling again, a few more strands of her hair falling into her eyes. "takkun..."

"...You look pretty banged up..." He utters back slightly, squinting his eyes thoughtfully as he continues to play quietly. "...Either way, my grandpa said you should get something to eat... if you're gonna heal right."

"......i think...i'd rather have my sponge bath now please..." She replies, a sly grin on her face with a scandalous look in her eyes and the hint of insanity Naota has come to know.

Blinking and straightening before one of the strings on his guitar breaks and makes a nasty sound before curling near the top, he blinks suddenly and grunts. "...you... you made be pop one..."

"...if you wanted to pop one so bad.." she replies again before gasping and cringing as she had been trying to sit up, only finding herself huddled up against the couch.

"But I didn't." He answers easily and then sighs. "You can barely get off of the couch, and I'm not bringing water in here..." then he just grins a little. "So I guess you'll have to wait a while."

A soft sweet pout crosses her face before she bites her bottom lip trying to contain a grin. "but i'm hungry, takkun, aren't you hungry?"

"Sure." he utters back, remaining calm. "So let's have breakfast, right?"

"...you should carry me! I am the damsel in distress..." She grunts playfully before reaching up her good arm, her fingers moving to caress his face. "..that suit...looks good on you, takkun..."

Starting and blushing a bit, the young boy swallows and shifts back from her hand. "I...don't know if I can...and, uh... this is just a school uniform."

"it still looks good on you..." She utters before seeming thoughtful, a gleam coming across her eyes. "...you know... i shouldn't even eat any of your food. it'd just be a waste anyway..."

Blinking at her oddly, Naota just stares. "...A waste? What are you talking about? It'll help you heal."

"..I'm not _going_ to heal.." She returns, looking down with a soft frown.

Blinking again, and having a pessimistic idea, Naota tricks himself from believing it as he frowns. "...What do you...mean?"

"..i came back...to see you before I die, Takkun..." She murmurs, biting her bottom lip before sniffling once. "..I bet you're the cutest guy at your school now, huh?"

His eyes widening, Naota swallows before stuttering out. "Qu-quit playing around, Haruko...!" though his tone is more one of worry than of scolding as she can clearly tell.

"..I'm not playing.." She murmurs sweetly, turning up to him with sad, cute eyes and a soft frown on her lips; the bottom one plumped from her biting. "...you're the one I wanted to see, Takkun... You're why I came back... to see you again..."

Staring in a bit of saddened shock, Naota just murmurs. "...Haruko..." Before his mind begins racing again. "I...don't want you to die..."

"Because you love me?" She asks, tilting her head slightly as she looks into his eyes.

Flinching a little, the young boy swallows. Sighing and lowering his head, he sags a bit, he utters still a little shyly for having only said it once after channeling Atimosk. "...w-well...yeah....ha-haruko..."

"Tell me you love me." She states suddenly, looking up at him as a hint more of her insanity begins filtering into her gaze.

Straightening just a little, Naota sighs and looks off a minute before muttering. "...i love you..."

"..Tell me you'd do anything for me.." She continues, the hint growing even more as her golden eyes center on him intensely.

"...i'd do ....anything....for you..." He utters, almost nervously.

"...Yeah, I'm pretty sexy, huh?" she grins as her eyes suddenly lighten before asking again. "Do you wanna _be _with me Takkun?"

Blinking, then frowning he backs up from her just a little. "...._Be_ with you?? But..."

"no one's ever told me they loved me before, and I want a boyfriend if I'm gonna die." She replies, turning off slightly as a more thoughtful and semi-serious tone comes to her eyes.

"Oh..." Naota mutters back, seeming a bit relieved. "...Alright."

"Alright _what_?"

"...alright...i-i'll.... be with you..." He utters, blushing deeply.

Grinning as she winces, but forces herself to sit up, Haruko licks her lips before uttering. "You know; lots of things come along with a girlfriend..." This said as she leans forward, one hand coming up to support on his shoulder as she nips at his ear. "Lots of _fun_ things..."

Biting his lip, while still looking down, Naota blushes again. "W-well..."

"Well what, Takkun...?" She asks, still nibbling on his ear, though she begins to lean on him a bit heavier.

Shivering a bit, while supporting her weight, Naota mutters back. "...you're in... a lot of pain right now, huh?"

"I can push past it..." she states a bit overconfidently as her tongue begins moving in circles around his outer ear.

Shivering again, Naota swallows. "B-but if you push too hard..."

Grinning almost evilly, she only continues her actions as her free hand starts by tugging his opposite ear and then trailing downward. "I'm not going to die from _these_ wounds..."

Blinking, his eyes widening as a strong blush comes over him again, Naota pulls back slightly. "Wh-What? But you said...!"

Blinking as he moves, causing her to lift her free arm up and rest that hand on his other shoulder, the pink haired young woman pouts slightly before stating simply. "I never said it was these wounds that would kill me, I just said I was dying soon..."

"...If not that, then ...what?" The boy blinks back in confusion, furrowing his brow a bit.

"Let's talk about that later..." She replies leadingly, trying to pull him back towards her as she makes an effort to balance herself.

"_Ha_ru_ko..._" He grumbles with emphasis. "I need to know.. death is... serious..."

Sighing heavily and moving off him to sit up on the couch, Haruko just shakes her head a bit. "It's not really your problem, and I lay a lot on you as it is. You're still just a kid, and you've been going through a lot because of me."

"Stop saying that!" He barks suddenly, narrowing his eyes up at her. "You came here like that, if you didn't want it to be my business then why bother telling me, when you know how much I care and you _know_ I'll make it my business??"

"..I don't know, I guess I just didn't expect you to worry about it. Most people are like that. They keep to their own business...like wanting the better ramen cup." She states, suddenly grinning at him.

Frowning still, Naota sighs and looks off. "...You don't know me at all, then..."

"I do..I guess I just don't think about it. I guess I always think about how _I_ would handle things.. but you're different." She says, still smiling.

"...yeah, _tons_ different..." He utters, almost under his breath before adding. "..Are you gonna tell me, or not?"

Her smile fading as she looks down, poking her fingers together, Haruko pokes out her bottom lip as she states in a pouty tone. "You'll probably get mad at me..."

Sighing and closing his eyes, Naota just returns. "I promise I'll....try not to."

After seeming thoughtful for a moment, Haruko just begins speaking. "Unlike what _some people_ would have you believe, I'm not in love with Atimosk. I actually hate him, but I'm in love with his power." Seeming thoughtful for another moment, Haruko continues. "When I was chasing him...well, that's not important. The point is, when I caught up to him.....I couldn't beat him. At all. ....And I guess I'm not put together right to harness his power...something like that. Anyway, we had a pretty bad fight and...he's pretty determined to kill me, and I'm pretty sure he can, so that's the story."

Looking down thoughtfully, Naota frowns and sighs. "...You came back here because...you already know I can harness his power.. since I did it before. But... I don't know if I can do it without it being channeled through Kanti first."

Smirking at him softly, Haruko all but beams. "You know, you're pretty smart for not having a brain."

"Hey!" Naota shoots back, frowning a bit poutily. "...It came back... over time... I think... Not like I've been taking X-rays regularly or something..."

Giggling a bit, Haruko licks her lips before reminding quickly. "You said you'd do anything for me. Well I'm gonna cash in on that, got it?"

Flinching a bit, Naota just sighs and hangs his head. "...Do you really gotta hit so hard?"

"If I don't hit hard, it won't reach through the N.O. right." she states, reaching over to Naota's side to pick up his guitar before moving to sit up more fully, wincing and closing one eye against he pain.

Straightening a bit, his eyes widening, Naota puts up a hand. "Wait! Already??"

"Uh-huh..." She answers back though not in the normally enthusiastic manner that she does as she uses his guitar as a brace and stands against it, straightening as well as she can before spreading her legs for balance, her eyes take a slightly crazed outlook before she pulls her arms up to hold the guitar like a bat.

"But.. what if you throw out your shoulder or something? Aren't you hurt bad enough as it is??" He almost pleads, trying to coax her into...not hitting him.

"Quit being such a _baby_!" She calls as she swings harshly, crashing the body of the guitar into the kneeling boy's forehead. It doesn't knock him back nearly as far as usual and he simply slams into the wall as the alien woman falls to her knees and catches herself on the guitar before falling forward with a loud, painful grunt.

Bouncing off of the wall onto the floor, Naota rolls face up; passed out momentarily before his eyes roll from the back of his head and he sits up quickly, holding the spot in his forehead painfully. "...ow..." Still holding his head, he looks over to Haruko and blinks before scrambling a bit to one hand and his knees before pushing himself up; still slightly woozy from not being as used to it as before. Walking to her, he kneels again, with a hand to her shoulder. "..You.. alright?"

"..Yeah, I'm fine..." She chuckles a bit darkly, trembling as she pushes herself up off of the floor, drops of blood seeping through the bandage on her midsection.

Frowning worriedly and putting out his hands to help her, Naota watches the blood fall and sighs. "...You're pushing it too hard, just like I said... keep at it, and you won't have to worry about Atimosk at all..."

"It's sweet... that you'd worry about me, Takkun.." she answers, still a bit darkly before lifting her eyes to him. "If we get... the right thing out of your head...then Kanti and you can join and it'll force Atimosk... into you..." Hesitating a bit, she lets herself fall onto her side before asking. "...When Atimosk came out of you...did he escape from you...? Did you force him out..? Let him out...?"

"I guess I let him out. It's not like I was trying to keep him in, or push him out... I just kinda.. opened a door and he left, or something." the young boy explains thoughtfully, to the fullest extent that he can.

"Well...then when you've got him next time... just don't let him out..." She answers, an odd smile on her face as she lies almost pitifully on her side, offering him up his guitar. "Here... White... isn't my style... besides...you look better... with the jagged axe than I do..."

Still keeping one hand on her shoulder, Naota takes his guitar from her, and sets it against his side. "Do you want... back up on the couch or something..?"

"Are you gonna try and carry me..?" She asks playfully.

Biting back a grin, he utters. "...carry, drag... it's all the same right..?"

"As long as you try...then I guess so." She scoffs, reaching up an arm to wrap it around his neck.

Bracing his feet, Naota shifts the arm on her shoulder, and stumbles a bit when Haruko pulls herself up onto him and brings her lips up to his. Jolting a bit, his eyes widening, Naota then just swallows behind his lips and closes his own eyes tightly allowing his own lips to accept. His hand still shifts from her shoulder to her forearm and his opposite hand reaches down to grab her belt.

Letting out an almost purring rumbling sound, the alien woman wraps her other arm around his neck as she deepens the kiss, darting her tongue past his lips and deep into his mouth.

Making a muffled call, Naota's eyes close tightly as his grip loosens for a moment, but then tightens again to keep from dropping her.

Playing her tongue against his for a moment, Haruko lifts her lips from his before grinning. But then one brow raises as her eyes seem to go right over his shoulder before an almost expectant look comes to her eyes.

Blinking a little, Naota gets a sinking feeling as he winces and turns slightly to face his father; who stares at them with a gaping expression. The simple thought is written plain on the young boy's face: 'oh great, now what?'

"Y-you...!" Pouting as he walks up to them slowly and stands over them with standing tears in his eyes, Kamon sniffles once before straightening and pointing to his son.

"Our last duel was never finished! We will finish it in a competition for Haruko-san's love!"

"I'm for it..!" Haruko says excitedly with a smile upon her face before wincing from her slight bounce. "It'll give me something to do while I'm recuperating. Hehe."

"No way!" Naota barks back incredulously, looking at Haruko. "You're hurt," then turning to his father. "And your crazy!" Then he looks off, uttering under his breath. "....besides, there's really no competition..."

"Ah! So you relinquish your claim of love upon Haruko-san!" Kamon states before crossing his arms and nodding once, then twice. "It will make it much easier on you, Naota-kun!"

Shifting as his father tries to grab Haruko, Naota just grunts. "No, just that... we have...." biting his lip to contain the grin, the young boy finishes. "....a....mouth to mouth relationship now!"

"Oou, Takkun!" Haruko exclaims before licking at his neck. "I never knew you were so manly, speaking out against your father for my affections..." the last said as she shallowly sinks her teeth into his neck, her tongue flicking over the flesh in her mouth.

Swallowing harshly as a strong blush forms, Naota just winces as he mumbles. "N-not like that... r-right now... Ha-haruko...."

Pouting again, before he starts to poke Haruko in the shoulder slightly, Kamon asks almost sadly. "Have you... made your decision then, Haruko-san..?"

"Yeah. I choose Takkun, here." she states, grinning up at him cutely before looking up at Naota with a sly grin. "I'm gonna let him make me a _woman_." She says this in a playful voice.

Naota blinks back and furrows his brows a bit incredulously before he just sighs, as Kamon just stands slack-jawed. "...yeah right...." he mutters under his breath again.

Pouting as she nibbles at his neck again, Haruko grins, making herself bite just a hint tighter before she utters in a serious yet sensual tone. "I never let anyone get close enough but you, Takkun...No one ever loved me before."

Blinking as she turns serious, Naota blushes a little again as he just utters. "...o-oh..."

As Kamon just stands over them, still whimpering and crying, Haruko pulls herself up on Naota, using him as a brace before standing and leaning against him with a sly smile upon her face once more. "Takkun's _very_ manly." She states to the boy's father before placing a simple kiss onto Naota's lips almost in teasing.

"_I'm_ manly..." Kamon replies, pouting pitifully as Haruko begins nibbling at Naota's neck once more.

"Yeah, but Naota loves me." She answers back, slightly muffled as she takes the boy's earlobe into her mouth, suckling and nibbling upon it.

"I...um..." Sagging defeatedly, Kamon just sighs before turning away, stating in an almost darkly manner. "Take care of Haruko-san. Because if you don't, then I will. You must learn to fulfill her every need and desire. You're a man now, Naota." before the man begins slinking from the room.

Grunting a bit, Naota just shivers a little. "...Y...you should still get some rest.. a-and something to eat...y'know... how long... until Atimosk comes?"

"I'd rather do something else right now, Takkun." She replies, licking her lips before biting into his neck again.

"B-but... you can't even swing a guitar right... right now... a-and where's your vespa anyway?" He returns, still blushing deeply and trying to remain serious.

"Parked out front, just like usual.." She says as she starts to try and ease him towards the couch. "And I feel like I'm getting a second wind."

Frowning a bit, still, Naota just utters. "Well.. but.. that doesn't mean you should push yourself..."

"That's the point, Takkun." She replies, turning his face so they meet eye to eye as she seats him on the couch and climbs slowly onto his lap; sitting sidesaddle. "You push in to me, and I push against you."

Swallowing a little, and blushing, he says nothing as he just looks up at her, with slightly wide eyes.

"..Do you want me, Takkun..?" she asks a bit heatedly as she leans forward on her side, pressing her chest up against his upper chest and neck.

"I..um..." Swallowing a bit, he presses his back into the couch and bites the inside of his lip as he blushes deeply. "W-well...."

"You don't want me..?" She asks, blinking once before tilting her head and just looking at him.


	2. Chapter 2: More surprises

"I....I didn't say that...." He utters back, still shyly.

"Then what are you saying?" She asks, her face unchanging.

Swallowing again, still blushing he utters back. "...j-just that... i'm really... nervous... is all..."

Grinning cutely, Haruko stands slowly, making a few sounds of slight pain before putting out her hand. "I guess we should probably do this right then."

Looking at her hand, and seeming thoughtful, the young boy sighs before standing on his own. "I don't... want you straining yourself more."

"Yeah, I think I'll be leaving most of the work up to you this time." She states with an odd glimmer in her eyes as she turns, all but pulling him towards the stairs.

Stumbling a little at first, he quickly regains his feet as he follows, his heart pounding quickly as he just bites his lip.

Pushing open the door to his room, Haruko sighs softly before turning to the junior high student at her back. "It feels kind of nice being here again. I dunno. Maybe it feels kinda like home or something." She says, putting a hand on her hip. "I think I should take a bath, wash off some of this blood. Will you wait for me here and get ready, Takkun?" She asks, bending down slightly to his level as a cocky smile crosses her face.

"G-get... ready..? uh..." Swallowing a little, he sighs deeply; still blushing. "I...I don't know...how...exactly.."

Grinning darkly as her eyes seem thoughtful, Haruko trails her hands down his body from his shoulders, down his chest and stomach before they lightly graze over his crotch making him jump before she removes her hands from him. "You can just wait on the bed. I like you in that uniform." before she turns and starts out the room.

Blushing even stronger now as his heart pounds in his chest, Naota bites his lip tightly as he slinks down onto the bottom bunk silently.

_As I sat there waiting for Haruko to come back from her bath, my nervousness didn't ease much and my mind started wandering. I thought about Mamimi again and tried to keep all the experience she'd given me in mind as part of me was also happy we'd never actually had sex. I started thinking about the fact that I didn't have any condoms, but realized it was best not to say anything about it unless she did. My realization dawned on me more fully that Haruko really was a virgin and that she, as a girl, was willing to give me a gift._

It doesn't take long before Haruko steps through Naota's bedroom door holding a slightly familiar pink towel around her dripping body as an oddly sensual gaze emanates from her eyes; gold locking with dark blue.

Looking her over a moment, Naota swallows a bit, before voicing his curiosity in a hopes to ease his tension. "..Is...that just... your own towel...?"

"I bought it when I was here before." She informs, stepping up to the bunk bed and seating herself at his side. "I found it tucked away and hidden underneath a bunch of other towels."

Naota can't help but think, if Kamon had some sort of perverted affinity for a moment before shutting him out of his mind completely as he nods a bit, his breath coming out a bit harder though he tries to remain calm. "I...thought so..."

Leaning against Naota slightly as she leans on her good arm, the pink haired woman lifts her other arm free of bandages with a bad but healing gash over the bicep to allow her fingers to caress down his chest and stomach before moving up again. "You look so nice in that uniform, Takkun. Kind of grown up."

Blushing, though smiling, Naota licks his own lips. "I...dunno... I feel kinda... stuffy..."

"That's kinda sexy..." She says with a smile, pushing against him a bit more as she begins nibbling and sucking at his ear. Her hand starting to unbutton his uniform shirt, starting from the top.

Taking a deep breath, he lets it out slowly as he still bites his lip, watching Haruko's hand almost in a daze.

"...Feeling turned on yet..?" She asks, unbuttoning his shirt down to his stomach before letting a light moan radiate in his ear as she begins nibbling along his jaw line.

Shivering and turning his head off slightly to keep from obscuring her, Naota lets his eyes slowly close as he just utters sheepishly. "...y-yeah..."

Pushing his shirt open, the pink haired woman begins rubbing her fingers up and down his chest and stomach, trailing them lightly as she bites along his neck and down towards his shoulder. "You want me to make it worse...?"

".....o-okay..." Naota murmurs, unable to calm his blush though he bites his lip while breathing heavily through his nose. Closing his eyes he shivers and is unable to help but groan gently.

Grinning at his groan as a hint of satisfaction comes over her, Haruko begins biting down his chest then down his stomach as she utters against his flesh. "...I'm getting wet... and it's because of you..."

Swallowing audibly, Naota bites his lip as he feels his hardon swelling a bit rapidly. His toes curl slightly and he squints maybe a little painfully.

Flicking her tongue against his belly button, as her hands busy themselves at his pants, Haruko turns up to him with a self-confident grin on her face. "You want it _bad._ I can tell."

Biting his lip still, to keep his lips from trembling, he can't stop the rest of him so well. "I... heh... yeah... I wonder how..." He utters a bit sarcastically, in a teasing manner.

"Well..._he_ kinda told on you..." She states, pulling his underwear away from his hardened rod before her eyes grow wide and she coos. "..Wow, Takkun! It's no wonder you could pull such big things out of your head."

Chuckling shyly, Naota just clears his throat. "I... didn't know that had anything to do with it..."

"The size of the things that can come out of the N.O. in your head....are kinda like a reference to the size of your cock. That's why I always say you're so manly." The female alien croons, tickling her fingertips up and down the seven and a half inch length. "You're already bigger than most guys around here, and you're still getting bigger..."

Blinking a little, and shivering as his cock twitches once against her hand, Naota licks his lips. "But... how do you know about most guys...?"

"I have a habit of studying guy's crotches through their pants to try and figure out how much N.O. they might have." she states simply, drawing her tongue from his base up to his head. "Most guys are only about four inches...six if they're lucky. You're at least seven and a half, and you're not even close to being done growing!" Chuckling as she twirls her tongue around the whole of his penis, Haruko adds playfully. "Gaku-chan is only about four inches. I didn't know what I was doing back then. He's completely useless. Not like you, Takkun."

Shivering again, Naota moans and closes his eyes. He swallows, feeling his cock pulse gently against her tongue and the sensations he's never felt before.

"That feels good, huh Takkun?" She asks with a grin before taking his whole head into his mouth as her lips lock just beyond the ridge.

Moaning louder, Naota's back arches slightly. "Y-yeah!" groaning again as his hand moves instinctively to her shoulder.

Suddenly thrusting her head down, Haruko moans against his length before her throat is suddenly obstructed by his wide shaft. She gags softly once, then again before swallowing down on his head, feeling him stretch down her throat as her lips meet his base. Her slightly large mouth opens a bit more, allowing her tongue to begin rubbing back and forth over his ball sack as she just holds herself there; repeatedly swallowing down on his tip.

Calling out, Naota's eyes close tight as his head comes back and his grip on her shoulder tightens. The young boy moans repeatedly at the ministrations of her mouth against him.

Moaning in reply as a shivering tingle begins to build between her legs, Haruko draws back her tongue before she begins bobbing her head up and down. Growling once, almost ferrally before she begins whipping her head back and forth; slurping along the sides of his rod.

Naota breathes deeply, stifling his moans for fear of growing too loud as his hand moves from her shoulder to her head as he starts to lay back, and opens his eyes to watch her lips wrap around his shaft. He moans her name heatedly as his cock head pulses gently in her mouth.

Moaning still before lifting her head with a soft resounding smack of her lips, Haruko licks her lips clean of the line of saliva dripping from her lip to his cock as her fingers begin fondling his ball sack. She sits up slightly, her breasts nuzzling his shaft between them as a seductive look comes to her face. "You want more, Takkun?"

Swallowing again, and panting slightly, Naota just whimpers a little. "...uh-huh..."

"More as in....'I want you to suck me' more? ....or 'I want you to ride me like a mad woman' more...?"

Swallowing at the second suggestion, Naota blushes and shivers a bit before biting his lip. "...uh...."

"Well?" She presses, pushing her elbows together slightly forcing her breasts to cup his throbbing rod between them slightly.

Biting his lip tighter, Naota groans and shivers before stuttering. "...s-second... one..."

"Well that's just too bad cuz I'm not gonna." She states simply, leaning back from him, making his rod slip down between her breasts before popping out the other side. The pink haired woman props herself up on one hand before looking at him with an expectant expression, a smirk, and a raised brow.

Blinking a little, Naota seems thoughtful before blushing and slipping his own legs out from under him as he comes to lay beside her. He sighs softly and turns to face her before shifting closer as one hand reaches up around her shoulders and his lips press tightly to her own.

Grinning softly against his lips, Haruko presses herself against the boy, slipping her tongue into his mouth as she lifts her one leg, wrapping them both around his waist. This action lifts the towel from her hips, completely exposing her from the hips on down to the youth, though still keeping her modesty for her chest in tact, for now.

Feeling her now bare pussy lips rested against his cock, and the heat of her crotch almost surrounding him, Naota shivers and moans, feeling a sudden urge to be closer to her warmth as he pushes his hips forward, and her onto her back.

Blinking up at Naota, Haruko licks her lips and grins darkly as she utters. "..you really _are_ manly, Takkun... ...Now, don't hold back on me. I want the full force you can give me... I want it _all_! If you feel like doing something to me? I'll tell you now: I'm for it!"

Blinking back, Naota bites his lip tightly and swallows before he nods, his eyes slightly wide as he trembles in excitement before shifting a bit, following her warmth against the head of his cock until the lips of her cunt seem to open to him and he thrusts within her, feeling the resistance of her hymen before pushing through it.

Calling out as she wraps her arms around his neck, Haruko suddenly seems younger then the boy as she whimpers once, sniffling a few times as her body shutters. "...n-naota-kun...please...l-love me..."

Gasping once, and almost seeming struck, Naota just stares down at her before uttering. "..h-haruko... i do love you..." Putting his lips to her neck before pumping into her body unyeildingly.

Screaming out against the pain, the pink haired woman cringes against him before she pants out a few times. Biting back the pain, she sighs, tilting her head back as she allows herself to find the pleasure in the pain. "Mmm, Takkun..! Yeah...! _Yeah_! Harder! _Deeper, _Takkun...!"

Groaning louder, his eyes closed tight, Naota says nothing as he continues to thrust, focusing on driving his rod deeper into her, his hips slam forward until he can feel his balls slapping against her ass from the exertion.

Tilting her head back, the alien woman groans and pants, lifting her head to lick and bite along his neck. "Takkun! _Takkun!_ Mmm, you feel so good...! It's so _big_, it fills up my tight, bloody _pussy_...!!!" She growls, gripping her nails and teeth into his neck, back and shoulders.

Jolting, Naota calls out and then quickly grits his teeth. Though annerved by the thought of her bleeding hole wrapped around him, he shuts it out and continues to slam his hips into her own, driving deep into her body.

Growling and calling in pleasure, Haruko just continues to pound her hips up against his, her legs now spread so one foot is propped up on the wall, the other shoved up against the top bunk's bottom. "Takkun, I'm gonna cum..! Yeah, do me! _Do me, Takkun!_"

Grunting and groaning deeply, with his eyes closed tight, Naota grips Haruko around the waist, holding her tightly as he rams into her relentlessly.

Calling out as she begins all but chanting his nick-name, the older woman trembles as she bites against his neck harshly, screaming against his skin as she cums harshly: So hard in fact, that it forces him from the warm, slick confines of her hole.

Starting a bit, Naota blinks and actually chuckles a little. "heh... it... came out..." Before licking his lips, watching her a moment and reaching out to grab her shoulders, and urge her over onto her stomach.

Blushing and chuckling back at her tightness forcing him out, Haruko grins before moving onto her hands and knees, sticking her ass into the air for him as she teases him playfully. "..You want me from behind now, huh, Takkun? Maybe you want it doggy style... Or maybe you wanna push your huge cock up my tight ass. Heh. it's even tighter then my pussy, you know, Pyon."

Blushing back, Naota grunts before licking his lips and slipping his cock into her pussy, ramming deep and hard once more with a groan of pleasure.

Moaning back, Haruko grounds herself before she starts thrusting harshly back against the younger boy. Her blood begins flinging onto his pants as she tilts her head back, screaming in pleasure. "_Yeah_! Yeah, yeah, yeah! _Fuck_ me, Takkun! Grab my hair, call me names, ooouu! Talk dirty to me, Takkun, please! Make me cum with you this time! I wanna cum all over that big, fat, thick cock!!!"

Biting his lip and blushing again, he shivers and grabs her hair, tugging a bit but then chortles. "...I..I don't know any names or..."

"Tell me how good I feel...and talk about how big you are.." She croons, smiling back at him with an almost child like cuteness. "Call me slut or whore or bitch or something...like 'You're my little slut' or something...say, umm...'you have such a nice, tight, sexy twat' and 'My cock is so big, it's stretching you out so good'. Get the idea?"

His face burning at this point, Naota just swallows a bit. "I..I guess..." Licking his lips again, Naota heaves a deep sigh and closes his eyes before uttering experimentally as he grapples her hips. "..Y-you're so... hot.. and.. tight, Haruko..."

Purring at the words, the pink haired woman begins thrusting back against him again, moaning out for him. "Oooh, Takkun... That's so sexy... It makes me want you even more...! Don't stop, keep going..!"

Groaning once in response, he lets his eyes open to stare at her nude back before him, and her naked hips in his hands. "It... feels so good t-to have my cock in you...."

Groaning louder as the words send a tingle through her body. "Takkun, if...you keep talking like that...I'm gonna...!"

"C-cum, Haruko... I .. want you to cum... all over my.. big cock...!" He all but commands, groaning deeply as his rod begins pulsing inside of her.

Calling and trembling at his words again, Haruko suddenly screams again, her hot juices coating his hard, long length. Her hole, now a bit more accepting, clenches around the boy's hardon, holding it in and milking it as it pulses around him, rather then pushing him out.

"Ha....Haruko!" He shouts in sudden surprise before his pulsing rod erupts deep inside her body, calling out louder at the feel of his first hard orgasm.

Purring happily as she tightens and releases her cunt, milking for all he's worth, Haruko lulls her head back with a satisfied smile on her face. "Mmmm...Takkun...you feel so good...You sure are manly, kakeen.."

Swallowing, and panting deeply, Naota just grins a bit sheepishly. "Y-yeah.. you feel good, too..."

_At that moment, I didn't even think __Atimosk__ showing up would spoil the moment. I was wrong._

"You really just filled me up with your cum, huh, Takkun?" Haruko asks with a chuckle, winking at him as she moves to stand, pulling her towel up with her.

Swallowing and blushing, though with a grin, Naota just rubs the back of his head a little. "Y-yeah.. I guess so.."

"...I wonder if my race can get pregnant by Earthlings..." She suddenly asks of herself out loud, her eyes honestly thoughtful as she begins slipping into a slightly oversized t-shirt.

Blinking again, Naota raises his head quickly, staring at her a little incredulously. "You mean you don't even know?"

Lifting an incredulous brow back, the pink haired alien turns to him and puts a hand on her hip, her nipples perking through her shirt as she leans back, looking down at him. "I never got the chance to _check_. This was my first time, too. And I've _never_ found another Earth man I would have thought of wasting my time on."

"...I just figured with all the other... _research_ you do, maybe it woulda come up." He mutters back, looking down and off.

Honestly seeming struck, Haruko frowns slightly before stating simply. "..Aside from me, I don't even think anyone else from my planet even came here before. ...In any sense." Turning off as she quickly jumps into a pair of underwear, the young woman grunts almost painfully. "This was a big mistake. You're still just an inconsiderate little kid."

"What??" Looking up quickly, Naota moves from the bed and stands. He pulls up his pants to keep from tripping and moves toward her. "I didn't... hm.. what I mean is... I'm not trying to look inconsiderate. I just... didn't know what you might have ...done in the past. There's ways to test those kinds of things without even going all the way. I just thought, I dunno, maybe you would have been curious to know, and did some kind of DNA test or some kinda thing... y'know?"

"..I know you're just a kid now, but... if you didn't want to ever have kids with me, then you probably shouldn't have fucked me in the first place." As she says this, she just stares off to the side, her eyes a bit dim but otherwise lacking of any real emotion.

Frowning softly, Naota sighs and reaches out, wrapping his arms around her quickly. "Who said _ever_? I just thought it was a little weird you actually didn't know, since you seem to know everything else. And what if you can't? Then when we really wanted to, we'd be out of luck, huh?"

"I guess so..." She mutters, her face and eyes unchanging.

Sighing once, and offering a half-smile, Naota just utters. "...C'mon, Haruko.. I'm serious. I'd really want to... I didn't mean to make you think I wouldn't.."

"You're just a kid, Takkun..." She repeats, shrugging slightly.

Flinching and gritting his teeth, Naota frowns. "...Quit saying that. I am _not_ a kid. Just because I'm younger, and don't know as much. I want to help you, and then go with you...and learn."

Turning to him with a blank expression, Haruko just sighs before turning away, then stepping into her pants.

Blinking then lowering his arms, Naota frowns still. "Just what do I have to do to prove it to you?"

Turning to him with a deeper sigh, Haruko picks her ear nonchalantly as she states simply. "I don't care."

Sagging slightly, but looking up at her, Naota just sighs. "....One way or the other, I'm gonna save you from Atimosk."

"You can't." She states, eyeing a hunk of earwax before flicking it onto his window, a slight look of discontent on her face. "He's way too powerful for you to take on. And like you said, you don't know if you can harness it without Medical Mecchanica being involved."

"Well I'm not letting him show up to _kill you_!" He emphasizes, frowning deeper. "Is that what makes me so much of a kid? Because adults are willing to lay down and take it like weaklings??"

Shrinking a bit, she just sighs again before poking the middle of his forehead. "You should go look in the mirror. I know how you like hiding those things."

Blinking once, then reaching up to see if anything has sprouted yet, he feels up along a pointed horn-like fixture then just shrugs. "...I'll get to it. Just depends on how long it takes."

"I miss the kitty ears." She states, tilting her head a bit as she keeps her nonchalant expression, picking her ear once more with the same finger. "It was cute. And when I rubbed your ears you were nice to me." before she glances out the window for a second.

Biting his lip slightly, he looks down a bit and then glances up. "You still never told me how far behind you he was..."

"Maybe a day or so." She answers with a shrug.

"Oh..." he utters , and then just sighs a bit, closing his eyes as he sags.

"What? Is that a _problem_, Takkun?" She asks, tilting her head slightly.

"No." He returns simply before turning to look out the window with a sigh. "Just that... I'm all... anxious, just because it seems like a 'hurry up and wait' situation."

"If you don't want to help; don't." She answers before walking over to the bed and stepping on Naota's bed, moving to get into the top bunk.

Frowning a bit, he turns. "I didn't say I didn't wanna help, just that...I'm kinda worked up about it."

Flopping down on the bed, she puts out an expectant hand towards him as she shrugs. "Just enjoy what life you've got left. You'll probably die."

Watching her for a second, Naota sighs and walks toward her, and sits silently at her side.

Raising a brow, Haruko shakes her hand impatiently, grumbling slightly. "Come on, come on..!"

Blinking once, Naota reaches up and slowly takes her hand.

Grunting as she sighs, rolling her eyes, she corrects curtly. "My gui_tar_! You're so girly, Tak_kun_. heh"

Blinking again, he frowns and stands. "I am _not...._" Before he sighs and reaches down, grabbing her guitar and stopping for a moment with a bit of a sly grin. "Hey Haruko, I got a question..."

"Yeah?" She replies, glancing at him over her shoulder.

Holding her guitar with one hand, Naota looks it over before asking coyly. "What do you think... would come outta _your_ head?"

"...odi?" Haruko blinks and a bead of sweat drips down her back before she turns to him, a crazed and almost excited look in her eyes. "...wanna try and find out, little boy...!!?"

Blinking, Naota chuckles almost nervously. "N-not really." Before he turns and offers it to her.

Taking the guitar slowly, with a humored scoff as her eyes calm, the pink haired woman sets the guitar in her lap before she begins strumming upon it. "So, how's school, Takkun?"

"...Boring." He utters, watching her a moment before he slips down to sit on the floor with a thoughtful expression, then he shrugs and drags his own instrument close to him.

Watching him out of the corner of her eye, Haruko just smirks before going back to strumming her guitar. "What about that girl? The new obsessive one over you. Ninamori. What about her, pyon?"

"...What about her? It's... not the same as us. This is better." He utters back.

"So you _are_ dating her." Haruko states with a snicker, plucking a cord harshly on her instrumental weapon before she begins strumming it once more. "Cheating on your girlfriend with your girlfriend just sounds confusing. Only_ real _men can pull off stuff like _that, _ka_keen_."

Sighing, Naota closes his eyes and falls silent a moment before letting them open again. "It's not... _that_ close... I don't think. I mean, not even as close as Mamimi and not nearly as close as you, so..." Then he grunts a bit and looks off. "...it's confusing..."

"Do you wanna do her?" The pink haired woman asks with a grin, still strumming her guitar.

Straightening and blushing a bit, Naota's eyes widen. "Wh-what? I didn't... really think of all that...!"

"Sure ya did. Maybe you just didn't realize you were while you were doing it." She jeers, her fingers undaunted.

Flinching a little, Naota sighs and blushes a bit before falling silent.

* * *

"Nao, dinner!" Naota's father calls from down the stairs, rousing the boy from his slumber.

Opening his eyes, Naota glances around a little tiredly for a moment looking for Haruko but seems undaunted that she isn't in his room. Crawling from his bed he slides open the door to his room and starts down the steps. Upon entering the dining room, and seeing Ninamori, as well as Haruko in her maid outfit, Naota blinks once before asking quizzically. "...Ninamori?"

Looking up at him nonchalantly, the girl simply looks back down to her sushi, picking one up with her fingers before dipping it into the soy sauce blend before her. "I came to see if you were sick or something and your dad told me to wait until you woke up for dinner and that I could stay. It's no big deal." She states the last, looking over the shrimp tempura.

"...I had a note. I think that's an excuse. Usually class reps wait a couple of days." Naota points out simply as he walks in more to take his seat.

"Well, no one saw the note. No one could until tomorrow. When you bring it in? You're acting pretty bizarre, Naota." The purple haired girl states, ignoring his other comment.

"Well I'm... feeling better." He grunts as Kanti brings him a bowl of curry as per usual.

"Hey, Kanti_!_ Bring me some water." Haruko orders sweetly as Ninamori eyes the robot before turning to Naota.

"I was...a little worried, that's all." She utters, picking up a piece of tempura as the pink haired alien grins evilly.

"Well.. I'm fine. No need to worry, alright?" Naota utters a bit distractedly.

"So..." Ninamori starts after a long pause of quiet while everyone proceeds to eat. "What's coming out of your head _now_, Naota?"

"..." Naota just frowns and continues eating his curry.


	3. Chapter 3: Naotimosk

"Maybe it's Fooly Cooly." Monchan smirks, droplets of sweat coming down his forehead as he eats his own curry, panting every once in awhile as his father just sighs.

"What's it look like this time, Takkun?" Haruko asks almost sensually, licking her lips as she tilts her head.

"There's no point in hiding it. Everyone here knows about the stuff that comes out your head, and I guess everyone but me wants to know what's there now." Naota's grandfather scoffs.

Flinching and starting to blush deeply, Naota just mutters. "...This one's different than the others. ...I don't wanna..."

"_Different_...?" Haruko asks in an eeriiely familiar tone as she turns with crazed eyes to Naota before she grins brightly.

Raising his eyes quickly, widened in a bit of fear, Naota swallows harshly before he jumps up quickly, darting away, shouting behind himself. "Leave it alone..!!"

But the pink haired woman barely hears his words as she speeds after him and easily tackling him onto his back in a spin halfway up the stairs.

Calling out, Naota scrambles a bit, though futilely as he expected before he does his best to wrench his head away from her. "Haruko, don't! Please??" His face already flushing deeply.

"Quit whining!" Haruko all but scolds as she reaches her hand up quickly and rips the band-aid from his forehead, blinking her eyes wide at the sight before her when the form of a large, erect penis, looking almost identical to Naota's, save for a bit shorter bounces out just before her mouth. "..."

Whimpering, Naota just twitches and then reaches up quickly to try and cover it. "_Forget_ cat ears... its _way_ too embarrassing!"

Letting her mouth curl into a small, cat-like grin, Haruko sweetly nudges his hand away before leaning up and flicking her tongue over the tip of the penis-like horn. ".._lick_..."

Gacking out loud, Naota's eyes widen as he quickly turns away. "...What are you doing? You have no idea what it's _attached_ to!"

Smirking softly, she just tilts her head with a sultry look in her eyes, gripping his head to forcefully turn him back towards her. "You can feel it, can't you? That's all that matters... Right _now_, it's part of your body. Later, when it comes out of your head, I won't play with it anymore."

Whimpering, Naota just grumbles. "...but it's so weird..."

"Mmm...but it feels good, huh, Takkun? You're so manly, you have two cocks instead of just one..!" She croons playfully with a smirk, licking up from the base of the phallic object on his head to the tip with a soft moan.

Whimpering once and shivering, Naota blushes slightly purplish. "B-but it never _is_ what it looks like....C'mon, Haruko... just take it out..."

"I can't.." She states simply, honesty in her tone as she slowly sits up, licking her lips once.

"What are you _talking_ about? You pulled out the guitar that one time! I won't mind the blood, just get it _out_!" Naota grumbles out loud.

"I evoked that guitar. It's different. I _can't_." She answers a bit irritatedly.

"You're rules are so weird! How come nothing ever works the same way twice?" The boy responds in honest confusion with a deep frown.

"It does... It just doesn't always work the way _you_ want it to." She retaliates, raising a brow.

"...That's no less confusing..." He mutters, half in defeat though he keeps faced away until she reaches around his head and flicks the fleshy tip. He whimpers and gacks, his face turning a mixture of blue and red. "Qu-quit it..! isn't it dangerous to touch 'em anyway? Look what happened to Ninamori!"

"_I'm_ not a human." Haruko retaliates smoothly as her grin slowly returns.

Blinking again, Naota just stares up at the alien woman and sags with an embarrassed whimper.

"What's going on he--" Ninamori starts before her eyes grow wide at the girth emerged from Naota's forehead, and Haruko turning towards her slightly, her head tilted over her shoulder as she all but sits on the younger boy's lap.

"N-Ninamori!" Naota calls out in surprise before clapping both his hands over his forehead. "D-Don't look at it!!"

Her jaw dropping slightly as she still, just stares at him, she then shakes her head before frowning a bit. "What is your maid doing sitting on your lap? And that thing coming out of your head.... it looks like.... it looks bizarre..!"

"Uh...!" Naota starts to blush as he grumbles shyly. "It's.. nothing! I told you not to look...!"

"What is she doing on your _lap_!?" She asks again, starting to sound more upset than confused. And her face only reddens in anger as she watches Haruko's tongue trail from the younger boy's neck to his ear.

Shivering from Haruko's ministrations, Naota groans once involuntarily before he flinches and tries to steel himself. "Uh... N-Ninamori, I..."

At the sound of his voice, her anger quickly fades before honest tears enter her eyes and she takes a few steps back, running straight ahead into the living room and grabbing her book bag off of the end table near the door, knocking it over before quickly slamming the door at her back.

"Wow, Takkun." Haruko utters against his ear, seeming undaunted by the girl's obvious display of hurt and caring. "Such an affect you have on _girls_."

Naota just sighs and frowns softly, though he doesn't move away from Haruko at all and just grunts. "...School's gonna be _hell_ now..."

"Then just don't go." She answers with a soft shrug. Lulling her upper body against him with a loud yawn, her toes curling as her fingers grip into his hair.

Blinking a bit at Haruko, Naota just raises his brows. "I can't just.. stop going. They send people out to find you when you do that..."

"I can handle them..." She smirks, licking her lips slowly as an oddly crazed look comes into her eyes.

His eyes widening, Naota quickly shakes his head. "Th-they're just regular people! Not even cops! They're _just_ doing their job...." He utters in deterrence of her nearly murderous tone.

"Well, I _am_ the house maid. I could keep telling them you're sick." She informs with a much more laid back tone, moving to wrap her legs around his waist lazily. "People around here listen to just about anything adults say."

Turning thoughtful, Naota then nods a little. "I... guess that could work..."

"You should come upstairs with me and thank me for being so smart..." She coos before second guessing it, a child-like, thoughtful look on her face. "That, or finish dinner. If you don't, you might get hungry later. Heheh."

"Well if I get hungry later, then... I can just have the maid cook something." Naota states a bit slyly with an innocent feigning.

"Oh, ya can, can ya?" She asks with a straight, intrigued face, raising one brow. "You oughta get her to cook me something, too. I bet she's a great cook." She states, finally smiling at the last.

"Yep. She really knows how to mix a curry packet." The younger boy teases before just chuckling.

"Hey, I can cook _way_ more than curry!" Haruko snaps at him with a 'hmph'.

"Oh really? Like what?" Naota smirks gently. "Because that's all I've ever seen you cook."

Scoffing loudly, she points an angry finger towards the dinning room. "There's sushi and tempura on the _table_!"

Blinking, his face straightening, Naota then blushes and pouts before muttering. "I guess I forgot... not like it's my fault..."

"Yeah, yeah, come on." She answers, standing and reaching out to take his hand and help him up.

Taking Haruko's hand and standing, Naota stays quiet as she suddenly takes off up the stairs, dragging him all but air born at her back. Tossing him quickly into his room, she leans against the door with a grin before asking him again bluntly.

"Are you sure you don't want to do her?"

Sitting on the bed, Naota just shrugs. "...I'm sure."

"Well... You don't really sound very con_vin_cing..." She utters, flipping up over the bed to land onto the top bunk and hang over the side, looking down at him upside down with a less than impressed expression in her dull eyes.

Squinting a bit he grunts. "I _don't_ wanna do her..."

"Don't little boys from Earth usually wanna do just about _any_ girl that's not...you know...mentally or physically de_formed_?" She asks, seeming to ignore his words as she raises a brow.

Scoffing a bit, Naota smirks as he teases. "No, cuz that'd put _you_ outta the running." But then his head quickly flings back into the wall behind him from a direct kick from both feet of the female alien above him who flops to his side then moves to hold him against the wall. She holds a crazed look in her eyes as she asks loudly.

"And _what_ is that supposed to mean??"

"Uh..! It's only... a _mental_ deformity! Your body's perfect...!" He calls out defensively, putting his hands up over his face.

"I'm a lot less _mentally deformed_ than most _Earthlings_." She retorts, releasing him as she rolls her eyes.

"...I think that's a matter of perspective..." Naota murmurs as he lays back carefully, folding his arms behind his head as he just stares at the top bunk from underneath.

"You'll see..." She states a bit mysteriously before climbing on top of him and grinning broadly down at him.

Blinking up at her, Naota suddenly blushes a bit and swallows softly though he says nothing.

"So what're you gonna do about Atimosk anyway?" She asks a bit randomly, pressing her body flat against his. "Think you'll have to kill him somehow? Or maybe absorb him like a sponge..."

"Well... I dunno if I _could_ kill him.. and even if I could, I don't think I'd be able to do anything with his power like you want. Uh... I guess, since he came out of Medical Mechanica through my N.O., if we send him somewhere else back through it and then... not let him go all the way through." Naota offers thoughtfully.

"Mmmmmmmm... Capturing him and sticking him back in there would be awfully hard... Maybe a better idea'll just kinda..._hit_ you!" She calls, smacking him in the back of the head before she starts to laugh, throwing her head back with a cackle.

Blinking and turning quickly, Naota just furrows his brows before looking off with a slight frown. "...Uh... maybe..."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Haruko asks, raising a brow before she grins and leans against him. "If I get naked will that cheer you up?"

Blinking a few times, his eyes widening, he then rubs the back of his neck with a shy grin and utters. "Uh... heh... probably...yeah."

* * *

_When I woke up in the morning, Haruko wasn't in bed next to me. But what really surprised me was when she wasn't downstairs when I went for breakfast. I started to wonder if it was all some sort of cruel joke; one of the odd dreams I have sometimes that I can't even escape when I'm awake._

_I went outside to see if I could spot her vespa anywhere; but it was gone. I started wandering around town, looking for 'Raharu' in all of the places I knew she hung out at. I found nothing. Lunch was eaten from a vending machine. I found restrooms around to use for bathroom breaks._

_When it got around three-thirty, and my friend got off of school, the guys wanted to ride around with me, aimlessly or not, at least until they had to go to work. I said no. I didn't want to sit in the back of that truck, alone with Ninamori. When they drove off, she watched me with sad eyes. Like the eyes I had when Haruko rode away into space on her vespa. I walked away._

_I was close to home around four-fifteen, when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I looked up, as if on instinct, to see Haruko, on her vespa, speeding towards my closed window. The machine was smoking and moving pretty erratically, but when I saw it, all I could think of was my vision._

At first, for a second, Naota stands, afraid to call for, what if the vision had been a premonition and him calling out had been the distraction that caused her to crash so violently. Then, in the next moment, he rushes into the house and up the stairs without a word to his surprised grandfather who yells after him, but the actual words are lost on the young teen. He throws open the sliding door to his room before running quickly toward the window to try and open it before Haruko reaches it.

Zooming in overhead, Haruko calls out as her vespa slams into his carpet, pulling it up and pushing it against the far wall, with her transportation with it. She coughs a few times, seemingly for the smoke, before uttering casually. "Thanks, Takun." Before she blinks and looks around herself curiously. "Hanna...?" Before looking under her vespa and slowly climbing off to pull it back, revealing the banged and bruised boy.

Naota's eyes roll from the back of his head as he groans in pain and twitches before groaning out. "haruko...."

"Quit laying around and bein' lazy. We gotta go quick!" She calls out before grabbing him with one hand and quickly pushing her vespa to the stairs with the other.

Grunting in pain, still trying to shake it off, Naota grumbles out. "You went to try and fight him on your own, didn't you? When you knew he could kill you..."

Turning to him oddly, Haruko's eyes widen as she pulls him onto the battered vespa and hops on as well, rolling it on down the stairs quickly. "Are you crazy!? Of course I didn't! ...I went to draw him out..." She adds the last, a crazed look in her own eyes as they go straight through the front door.

"M-me?? _You're_ the crazy one!" The younger male calls out incredulously as she drags him out into the street. "Are you in a hurry to die or something?"

"I got _bored_.." She answers, looking up at the sky as she takes a moment to turn into the open garage as Kamon screams out from within the house. Pulling out the man's tool box, she hops off of the machine, quickly going to work on it, her eyes continuously moving up to the skies as she does, seeing it grow ever darker. "This whole city's gonna go up if you lose, Takun. Pressure is a great motivator, huh!?" She asks with an interestingly creepy dark smile.

Not looking at her, Naota stares at the sky with wide eyes, his jaw slightly agape for a moment before he turns and bolts back into the house, up the stairs to his room, frantically searching through the strewn about mess stirred up by Haruko's vespa. Then pulling a white guitar from the pile, he rushes back down stairs and out the door, gripping it tightly by the neck.

Turning to him with a bit of a blink, the pink haired woman turns away back to her vespa as she states easily. "You're choking."

Looking to her finally, he grunts. "I am not! ...Just nervous as hell..." Before tearing his eyes back to the sky and gritting his teeth as the ominous presence of a giant bird begins to form above the city, still miles in the sky.

"No. The axe. You're choking it. Loosen up." She clarifies dully, her hands seeming to move a mile a minute. "There's a way we're gonna play this. I offered him that he could take your N.O. if he wins, if he fought us at half his size. ..._Man_, it's gonna be hard to get him back into Medical Mechanica again!" Though her words seem a bit urgent, her tone seems more so humored, her eyes wide in anticipation.

"You offered him _what_??" Naota turns to look at her incredulously but then just grunts as he looks back to the sky at the shape of the bird that now glows a brilliant red. "...You know, Haruko... didn't we shut _down_ Medical Mechanica last time...?"

Her hands suddenly stopping from their frantic work, Haruko's eyes grow wide as she drops the tools she held and stops. She remains this way as a sweatdrop slowly develops on her brow and trickles down her face, falling to the ground.

In that next moment, a blast of air strikes the city, stirring up dust from the massive wings of Atimosk before they begin to draw inward to the form of a man with long red dreadlocks that conceal much of his face save for his nose and mouth with a pointed chin only adorned by a sharp beard. His body is muscled and laced with green veins across glowing red skin. And on his chest, is a glowing orange glyph; the signature mark used by the pirate king. He says nothing but takes in the surroundings before a smirk crosses his lips. With this, he pushes his hand beneath his hair which begins to glow as he draws that famous guitar from within his own N.O. and hoists it to his shoulder. Then he merely clears his throat, with the sound of a thunderclap and raises a hand, beckoning it toward Haruko and Naota.

"Haruko.." Naota states when the pink haired alien remains unmoving. Then, as she continues to sit in silence he states louder. "Haruko!?" The younger boy grits his teeth and looks toward Atimosk as the red skinned alien begins walking toward them. Looking back and forth a moment, Naota begins to sweat as the muscular form, well over six and a half feet tall crosses the street in a momentary stride.

"...We're going to die..." Haruko finally states before slowly standing and turning to the pirate king, reaching around to lift her guitar into one hand and slipping into a lazy fighting stance.

Staring at Haruko with his eyes wide, Naota suddenly staggers when his forehead pulses and he grunts in pain. This action alone seems enough to stall the pirate king as he stops and puts up a finger, wagging it at Haruko impertinently before listing his gaze to the Earth boy as the phallic object from his head seems to swell and elongate until it steadily takes the form the neck of a guitar.

Gasping and panting, Naota drops the first instrument as he grips the other beginning to protrude from within his N.O. He yells out with a flash of light as he pulls a black and white _Stratocaster_ from within and lets the business end drop as he falls to his knees with sweat and a bit of blood trickling between his eyes.

Watching this, Atimosk makes a soft chortling sound as he hoists the dual necked instrument on his shoulder and holds it almost like a sword as he approaches the boy. He seems to pay no heed to the space officer behind him while raising the weapon high and preparing to bring it down with crushing force.

"Takun..!" Haruko all but growls as she darts forward, raising her own guitar against the imposing red and green figure, grunting when Naota shoulders her quickly to one side.

As Atimosk's guitar swipes downward, Naota then steps in, using his smaller size to duck under the larger form's grasp and slam him in the stomach with the broad end of the new guitar causing it to resound with the vibrating strings rattling from the strike.

Seeming surprised, but unphased, Atimosk brings up his knee into the human boy's chest, lifting him several feet into the air before he spins and returns a strike into the boy's form that sends him flying head over heels toward the other side of the street while Haruko begins screaming for Kanti.

The robot responds almost on impulse as he comes skidding from the house. His screen flashing as he evaluates the situation quickly he then rushes across the street to catch Naota; in his arms, but not his maw, and settle him to the ground.

Atimosk rushes Kanti now, raising his guitar high and swinging down, but the metallic being leaps aside causing his adversary to smash the sidewalk instead, inches away from Naota.

Canti ducks, rolls, and scoops up Naota's original guitar, holding it at ready while the red pirate charges again. He deflects the attack, but barely, the cables on his arms straining and metal crunching as he struggles to keep from becoming overpowered by the strength of his enemy. With a swift blow from Haruko into the back of Atimosk's head, Kanti is able to fall out as Naota begins to stand, wavering heavily.

Enraged, if nothing else, by Haruko's attack, Atimosk turns to grip her by the ankle and spin before loosing her, toward the garage and her parked vespa. As she slams into the trash, then growls as she huffs and pulls herself up, Atimosk hoists the guitar to his shoulder and beckons her arrogantly with a small smirk.

Helping Naota to his feet, Kanti then turns and rushes the back of Atimosk. Only a few moments later, Naota does as well, though his head still spins from the initial strike. The two close the distance quickly and as Kanti blocks Atimosk's sweep again with the white ax, Naota delivers a strike to his shoulder with the Stratocaster. This buckles the pirate king's shoulder slightly, allowing Kanti a bit of give that enables the robot to throw off Atimosk and send his arms up into the air, and bearing the mark on his chest. In this opening, the two strike at the same moment in that direct spot.

Grunting out, the muscular form skids back at a crouch, holding his chest before he growls lowly and grips the guitar with both hands. His muscles ripple as a crackle begins to arc down the body of the instrument that splits it in two; nearly looking identical to the ones now wielded by Kanti and Haruko. He spins these in his hands and then catches them easily before charging the two and swinging out wildly, catching Kanti in the leg and sending up a shower of sparks, while the other connects with Naota's guitar and causes him to slide back before he loses his footing and falls back against the sidewalk once more.

Jumping up quickly with a nearly demonic look in her eyes, Haruko leans back suddenly as the pirate king lifts his guitar back up for another strike. She slams her own into the side of his head before disappearing between his legs as she continues to skid. "Loser!" She calls out as he hears the sound of her razzing him from behind.

Stumbling slightly, Atimosk rumbles in anger before rearing one guitar to slam Kanti into the ground. Then, he turns and rushes toward Haruko performing a sweeping uppercut with the V body guitar. Connecting with her, he jumps as she spirals upward, and raises both guitars high above his head until the necks cross like an X. His ascent slows as he nears her before another red form shoots past, narrowly avoiding the cross slash from the pirate king.

Canti, now a brilliant red tone, with Naota within, scoops Haruko from the air and lands on the roof of the house. Setting her down he then grabs both guitars from his back and leaps from the roof, peeling back shingles in his wake and soaring through the sky until he and Atimosk collide. The next minute or so, with guitars screeching and crying, is reminiscent of the final act of a 'The Who' concert as the two begin smashing again and again, guitar against guitar against metal, against 'flesh'.

Watching as she grits her teeth, Haruko grips her guitar before jumping up quickly into the fray. Coming up behind Kanti, she narrows her eyes in concentration as she rears back, slamming her axe into the spot on his head where a red box once was perched.

Canti's screen flashes and Atimosk's symbol appears within it. Then a white glow completely overtakes the screen and a strong suction wind kicks up, causing the red male to sneer and attempt to brace himself in the air, which holds for a moment before he is pulled swiftly toward Kanti, and squeezed into a singularity; chest first, drawn into the robot's form. Almost immediately, the robot begins twitching and jerking erratically as his screen flashes between white noise, Atimosk's symbol, and Kanti's own blue that spells out in broken fragments. 'Too... much... overload... systems critical...' followed by a high pitched siren as he drops somewhat suddenly to the ground on his knees.

As Haruko only shifts slightly, plopping her guitar onto her shoulder with a raised eyebrow, the robot in the street retches loudly and the massive, ghoulish maw from his chest opens, spilling a mess of glowing red onto the street, causing the pink haired woman to make a face and step back once.

"Eww... Kanti! Stop making messes of Takun!"

But he doesn't respond and only goes quiet as his screen blackens. The mess on the street steadily reforms into Naota, panting in the street with sweat pouring from his face. On his forehead, Atimosk's symbol glows and for a moment, everything is still. Then, he grits his teeth as if in extreme pain and clutches his head while the glyph on his head glows brighter, nearly white. Staggering to his feet he screams as green lines etch on his skin at specific points. His skin begins to glow red and his body expands to a size somewhere between his and Atimosk's; just over five-ten.

Eyes growing wide, Haruko grips her guitar more firmly as she frowns a bit sadly. "...shit...takun... ...oh well..." Before she sighs heavily and raises her own guitar high. "If you've taken him over, there's nothing left to do, but finish you off while you're weak..!" She calls, gritting her teeth with a smile, far beyond her own, normal insanity.

Staggering for a moment, the combination still clutching it's head, it suddenly screams out and a bright flash resounds, sending up a brilliant pillar with a shockwave of red rings spraying from it. A tall, somewhat filled out masculine figure with black hair wearing Naota's clothes, though much smaller staggers back and falls onto his backside. "...Ow...damnit...ow..."

Twitching a few times on the ground, the golden eyed alien groans before blinking at the form in front of her and quickly clamoring to her feet. Spying him a moment longer, she flinches once before uttering in a low, calm tone. "...you've gone too far...stop looking like that... Stop Looking Like That... STOP LOOKING LIKE THAT, OR I'LL DESTROY YOU, ATIMOSK..!" She screams before raising her guitar high into the air, paying no attention as he turns and looks around himself frantically.

But when she arcs her music making weapon down upon him, he turns back to her and quickly raises his own hands over his head, as if as a shield, calling out in a worried, deeper tone. "Haruko, don't!"

Stopping no more than an inch before his face, Haruko's eyes blink once in surprise as she pants softly, looking down at him. She then drops her guitar aside, her head bowing further before she falls to her knees, a soft sniffling emanating from her form as her hair just barely hides her face.

Squinting his eyes against the splitting headache pounding against his skull, Naota turns slowly and starts to reach out for her. "Haru--" But then he stops and just stares at his larger hand. His eyes widen as he stares at the length of his sleeve in comparison to his arm and then finally lowers it to her shoulder.

Sniffling again softly as she raises her eyes to his, their golden tone seems more sad and calm than he's seen before just as she falls forward against him and starts sobbing painfully, punching his chest softly with the pummel of her fist.

Blinking, his eyes widening, Naota looks down at Haruko in shock for a moment before his own eyes soften and he wraps his arms around her and holds her tightly.


	4. Chapter 4: Changes

"...Haruko-san?" Kamon asks fearfully from the open door, looking around the now all but decrepit street. When she doesn't answer, he steps out and looks around, putting his hands on his hips before looking down again. "Where is Nao-kun...?"

Looking up as he continues holding Haruko, Atimosk's logo is now a somewhat charred marking on his forehead. He blinks at his father before furrowing his brows. "...Do I really look _that_ different??"

"Hmm?" The older man asks, blinking down at him before raising a brow from behind his reflective glasses. "I'm sorry... Do I know you, Mister Burned Symbol Head Man..?"

Blinking, then peering at his father, Naota sags. "...yeah, I guess so...." Then he sighs and grunts, putting one hand up to his head again. "Gh..! Shut up!!"

Standing behind his son-in-law with a thoughtful look in his wise eyes, Naota's grandfather 'hmm's softly before turning and disappearing back into their slightly run down home, emerging moments later with a small mirror to hand it to the once young boy. "This might help you understand, young man."

Lowering his hand, breathing deeply, Naota looks up and blinks at the offered mirror, he takes it and calls out in surprise at the visage that greets him. One hand still lingering on Haruko's shoulder, the other reaches up to touch the burned mark on his forehead. He then looks down at himself and all around again. "I...I can't believe this... it's.. it's like I...."

"You're quite the strapping young man." His grandpa states before adding. "There's a possibility my dear grandson passed in all of this chaos...but you do remind me, in ways, of him. Perhaps you should stay with us until you get an idea of your bearings." He states, turning to look up at the sky, his hands folded behind his back as he leans over slightly, for his older bones.

Blinking innocently, Naota furrows his brows, seeming a bit worried. "...Are you _feeling_ okay, Grand--" But he stops at the intense and knowing look he receives from the old man and then lowers his head thoughtfully. "Oh... alright.. well ... thanks..."

* * *

_After awhile, Kanti's system restarted. My father went out looking for me, and didn't come back for hours; and when he did, his face looked even more hallow than usual, and his eyes were red. He asked Haruko a bunch of questions, and she told him the truth--kind of. She left out a lot of details, and when he asked her 'Where is my boy?' she said 'He's gone'. And it was still the truth._

"...Why does Kanti have an icepack strapped to his head?" Naota asks, furrowing his brows as he robot repairs the crashed in wall of their home.

"He says he has a hang-over." Haruko answers from the top bunk of the bed before asking. "Figured out what you're taking with you yet?"

"Not really..." He mutters while furrowing his brows. "But how's a robot get a hangover, and is the ice really gonna make that much of a difference?"

"Haven't you noticed how human he is?" She asks drolly as she sits up and hangs over the side of the bed, holding a 'Playgirl' Magazine that dangles over the bottom bed. "I mean, he _eats_."

Frowning a bit, Naota just grunts. "Yeah, I _know _he eats... probably better than you do..."

"Prolly." She answers before flopping back onto the bed. "I'm gonna slip this under your bed. When your dad comes in here to go through your things, he'll have a fit. heheheh..."

Blinking a bit, his eyes suddenly widen. "No way! It's bad enough he thinks I'm dead, I don't want him thinking I was a fruit!"

"Oh, alright... What a waste of money then. These guys aren't as big as you are _now_." She grunts, tossing the magazine aside, and when it lands on Kanti's head, he blushes deeply and freezes before flailing and making it swing over onto Naota's.

Grunting and pulling the magazine down, he just tosses it back at Haruko. "More N.O. 'research'?"

"Sure, why not?" She asks before opening it once more and seeming to disappear on the top bunk.

After a couple of minutes of mounting curiosity, Naota slowly stands to look over the side, just before Haruko's face suddenly bounces into his, like a crazed Jack-in-the-Box. She laughs maniacally, her eyes wide and her teeth bared.

Calling out, the now older looking young man stumbles and, being a bit clumsy due to not being used to his new body, falls into a pile of things that were broken by Haruko's vespa. "Y-you scared the hell outta me!"

"That was k_iiiii_nda the point." She offers, hanging over the bed once more. "You're nosey."

"...Well you're just sitting up there all quiet..." Naota mutters, furrowing his brows. "That scares me _enough_..."

"You're such a fraidy _cat_, Takun." She playfully sneers, sticking out her tongue at him before slipping back onto the top bunk.

"..You're just creepy sometimes..." He mutters back with a sigh, and then a slight smirk as he picks himself up and begins looking around the room a bit. "...I think if I take anything, it'll be.. a few of my pictures... and my brother's bat."

"Yeah, but you love it." She answers almost arrogantly before changing the subject. "Anyone you wanna say good-bye to? Those friends of yours sure might wanna hear about how you're getting ready to see something other than this tiny little town." The pink haired woman offers from on high, unseen.

Raising a brow at the bunk above, Naota furrows it then mutters. "...I'm supposed to be dead, Haruko..." But then the thought sticks to his mind and he sees his father and Ninamori crying pitifully. It causes him to flinch heavily and grow solemn as he just continues looking around the room.

"Hey, you can do whatever you wanna do, pyon." She replies before tossing the magazine over the side of the bed once more onto Kanti's screened head, making him flinch and blush in his own way once more before reaching up and, taking a moment of curiosity, he looks inside. It takes but another moment before he makes a weird sounding mechanical sound and flails his one arm; the one holding the male models, and hold it out to Naota as if it were a used condom.

Blinking at Kanti as a somewhat ill look comes over his face, Naota grunts and swipes it from him before tossing it aside in the can beside his desk. He seems thoughtful for a moment and then blinks before asking. "...Hey Haruko... if you can judge a guy's N.O. by the size of his.... y'know, can you figure a girl's by her... chest or.. do girls just not _have_ any?" But then he frowns and crosses his arms. "...no that can't be it, cuz obviously Ninamori has N.O...."

"She shared yours when you slammed into her head." Haruko corrects before adding. "And I _told_ her not to touch your ears with her bare hands. She's stubborn. And stupid. hee."

"..So girls don't have N.O.?" He asks a bit more bluntly.

"I have N.O." She answers vaguely, adding as she lulls one leg over the side of the bed to bob up and down. "But I don't have very much. I'm better at _using_ people."

"Hm. So maybe it _does_ have something to do with it." Then at her peering expression as she picks up her head he smirks a bit. "I guess it makes sense.. N.O. spells No, our word for brain. And there's a saying that guys think with their penises, right?" As she raises a brow, Naota continues. "...So, in Sailor Moon, one of the girls always makes a reference to having the biggest tits, but in America they changed it to something about being 'talented'. That's kinda the same thing, right? So guys think with their cocks, and girls think with their tits." After a moment of Haruko staring at him, Naota suddenly finds her guitar smashing down onto his head. He hits the floor with a sharp thud and cries out, holding his head. "Ow... ow! Not the head! You might break him free!"

Blinking once, as if the idea were a revelation for her, Haruko then seems serious as she offers. "We're going to need to leave soon. Headquarters can help you with a better seal." Then she flips slightly to look under her bed at the large, grey cat resting on Naota's bed. "Are you taking the cat? It could have 'ran away'."

"Why?" Naota asks as he sits up, still holding a hand to his head. At her shrug, he seems ponderous a moment before shrugging. "I... dunno... How're we gonna-- wait, HeadQuarters?"

Raising a brow at him oddly, Haruko completely flips off of the top bunk before landing in front of him, grinning as she points at herself. "First class; Space Patrol Officer, remember?"

Raising his own brow, Naota blinks again. "You were serious? ...I thought it was another one of your ...uh..."

"I don't have 'crazy' moments, and I don't lie!" She snaps before turning off with her arms crossed. "You watch someone you're charged with capturing devour one too many galaxies, and see if _you're __**half**_ as sane as me!"

His face falling a bit as his eyes soften, he seems to suddenly look at her in a new light before frowning gently and offering. "It's not like that....Sorry, Haruko..."

Remaining faced away from him, the alien woman lets her arms fall away before turning to him again. "How're we gonna _what_?"

"Well... how are we gonna fly into space on the vespa? Does it turn into a spaceship or something?"

"No."

"Then how?" He presses, furrowing his brow as she begins randomly picking her nose. Raising a brow he mutters sarcastically. "...wow, that's sexy..."

"I'll have to practice my curtsey." She responds with an equal tone, pulling something small and green from within her nose before flicking it onto his forehead.

Gacking and wiping it away madly with his shirt, Naota frowns. "Aw that's _disgusting!_" He nearly whines while she nonchalantly begins walking out the door.

* * *

"I need to know how to bring a cat into space." Haruko states blandly as she stares into the face of Miyu-Miyu, shaking him about slightly. She sits, clad only in her birthday suit, raising her brow slightly as she stares into the cat's eyes, who only looks back at her blandly. After a moment, she rolls her eyes before snapping back. "_Yes_, a _cat_! ... Yeah..." She says the later a bit derogatorily, seeming somehow even more bland than before.

Blinking a few times as he watches Haruko, the young man frowns as he bemoans the soreness all over his body and sighs to stave off the desire to pounce her.

"You know better than to question me. heh!" Haruko states as she stands, holding the cat as an almost demonic look comes to her eyes. "I'm coming home, by the way. ... If I hadn't, would I be coming _home_? ... K_iiiii_nda..." She continues the conversation, swerving the cat back and forth as she shakes her rear back and forth in the same rhythm. "...Uh... yeah. One of Takun's friends mentioned something called...'NASA' once. ... And I guess I'm supposed to _steal_ it, right?" She asks with a chuckle before blinking at the next words only her ears hear. "Nah, it's some special government thing. Humans aren't smart enough to be far enough to _sell_ space traveling vehicles yet. ... Oh, you know _me_, Chief. ... Heh! Over and out. ...OH! Hey, Chief? ... Don't call me that when I'm on assignment! ... I got a kid I'm bringing back with me. ... He's got Atimosk inside him. ... Uh-huh. He's keeping him inside, kinda like a...bio-space prison! Heh... ... Yeah. Kid's got great N.O. for an Earthling. Now, he's got them both." She goes on, yawning once as she flops back onto Naota's bed, holding the cat overhead. "... Yeah. He needs some extra seals, though. He's paranoid Atimosk's gonna pop out again. ... Eh... Either way, I think I might be okay with him being my partner. ... Stupid red tape..." She grumbles before blinking once and tilting her head. "On your way...? ... I'll _be_ there in a few _days_..." Grunting once, she then just barks 'Fine' before tossing the cat aside, making it yowl out and dart out the door, into Naota's face.

Calling out as he catches the large cat, keeping him, and his claws, at bay, Naota frowns and allows him to jump down. Miyu-Miyu then grumbles as he slinks under the bed and flops down. "...So now you're going to break into NASA, huh?"

"Huh? Where'd you get an idea like that?' She asks, not looking at him as she yawns once largely.

"Oh, probably the conversation you just had." He mutters and frowns before blinking. ".....Can't we just... I dunno... have Kanti carry Miyu-Miyu?"

"In what?" She asks simply, keeping her eyes away and flopping back onto the bed, turning from him slightly.

"Well _he_ used to contain Atimosk, right? So he's gotta be able to handle a housecat. Miyu-Miyu isn't _that_ fat." Naota points out.

"Earthlings need _air_, right?" She urges softly, curling in on herself.

"Well being in Kanti is different." He responds with a shrug. "Suspended animation or something."

"Then _you_ ask him if he can." She says with finality, huffing once.

"Alright..." Before looking up at the robot. "Hey Kanti? Do you think you can carry Miyu-Miyu for us?"

Turning to Naota, seeming thoughtful, Kanti then nods before opening his chest cavity. As the vicious maw opens, Miyu-Miyu screeches, hisses, and speeds off out the door under Naota's legs and down the steps with a resounding thu-thu-thu-thump.

"What a fat cat..." Haruko utters, an odd smile on her face as she now sits up, looking out the door, before she starts cackling, throwing her head back as one hand moves to hold her stomach.

Blinking and staring before Kanti's chest closes again, Naota slowly smirks and scratches his cheek. "It... it was pretty funny..." A light chuckle passing his lips.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO THE CAT??" Naota's grandfather asks as he sticks his head in the door, then blinks at the nude form of Haruko on the bed. Seconds go by in silence before the old man suddenly falls out the door in a spray of blood from his nose.

Gacking again, his eyes widening, Naota then rushes out into the hall. "Grandpa! Are you alright??"

"..." Twitching on the wood paneled floor, the old man only grins slightly and then answers in a gruff voice. "...that's a keeper, Naota-kun...heheheh..!"

Blinking, but seeming relieved, Naota just chuckles again though a bit more nervously as he blushes a little. "Heh... old pervert..." Then he sighs a bit and calls back to Haruko. "I'll go find him." Before he starts down the steps after the feline.

* * *

"I'll be back in a few hours or so!" Haruko calls out to Naota as she mounts her vespa and starts it, stuffing her head into her helmet. "Make sure you're ready to go when I get back! You've got most of my money, so grab some snacks to eat on the way there, and some ramen to eat when we get there! They don't sell it where I come from!"

Sighing a bit and scratching his head, Naota just utters. "....Alright..."

"Hold it." Another man's voice states, familiar to them both. Upon looking in that direction they see an orange haired older man with dark glasses and a pair of unnatural looking eyebrows. Seeing this, Naota then twitches as he mutters subconsciously.

"...eyebrows..."

"What are you here for _now_?" Haruko asks as she leans forwards slightly, eyeing him a bit blandly, her eyes squinted as she cuts the engine to her vespa.

"I know he came here, Raharu. Following you. So where is he now?" Gaku presses as he eyes the alien from behind his glasses.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She answers casually, pinking her pinky deeply into her ear as she turns off, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Atimosk." He retorts quickly. "We saw him come, but didn't see him leave. And you don't really expect me to believe that you honestly beat him, do you? So where is he? What are the two of you plotting? And where, exactly, are you off to in such a hurry now?"

"Takun here beat him. Now shut up and mind your own business!" She calls, starting her vespa back up. She razzes him derisively before taking off down the street, her motor bike jumping as it zooms away. "Don't say _anything_, Takun!" She calls as she begins to disappear.

"Waaaiit!" Gaku calls after her but sags when he's ignored before turning to look at Naota. "You... so you're that kid! But how... You've got it now, don't you??" But to this, putting his hands in his pockets, Naota turns and begins to walk away.

"Hey!" The red head persists, walking up quickly to grab Naota by the shoulder. "This is _still_ a federal case, Kid, and I'm _still_ a federal agent. And Raharu is _still_ a criminal. If you're standing in the way of any of that, I can _still_ take you down." This said, with his other hand, he reaches down to grab a pair of handcuffs but blinks when Naota slips away.

"You can't arrest me on a federal case where I haven't done anything." The black haired young man turns to the older man. "I'm _still_ only fourteen, as far as my birth certificate is concerned. Now leave me alone before I suck up everything from here to Jupiter." He grunts before starting to walk on.

"Oh, you think you're tough stuff now, huh?" Gaku frowns before snapping his fingers. From the buildings around them, feds swarm onto the street and block off in front of Naota, and behind, but he seems undaunted still.

"You better just leave me alone. Even if I don't have Atimosk's power, if Haruko comes back here, and I'm _not_ here... She'll come looking for me."

"You really think she cares that much?" Gaku scoffs. "You really are still a little ignorant kid."

Frowning deeply, Naota snorts. "Just shut up! You're the one who's ignorant! You don't even compare and you never did!"

Twitching, then looking down, Gaku then sneers. "You're making a _huge_ mistake, Kid! And you don't even realize it. How long do you think it'll take before she's bored of you??"

"Obviously a lot longer than it took for her to get bored of _you_! She came _back_ for me!" Naota snaps back as he turns to sneer at the federal agent.

"She came back because she was running from _Atimosk_!" Gaku retorts. "That's the only thing Raharu cares about!"

"You're wrong." Naota states boldly. "Just because you couldn't swing the bat, I not only swung, I knocked it out of the _**park!**_"

"And just what do you mean by that??" Gaku asks, his eyes widening a bit, but Naota just shrugs and turns.

"You gonna get these guys outta my face? I mean, unless I'm under arrest, which I can't be, this is police harassment."

Looking around and frowning, Gaku just snorts. "Fine! Stand down, boys." And at his words, the agents seem to file out and Naota just begins walking again. "Wait! Just at least tell me, is Earth in any danger from Atimosk?"

"No." Naota states simply, before walking into a grocer.

* * *

"So, what happened with _eyebrow man_?" Haruko asks as the two sit outside of the Household, eating bowls of instant ramen.

_Haruko had come back much later than she said she would. A few hours turned into the rest of the day, and that night, she came back to the shopping centre, seeming surprised I was still there, waiting. I was a little freaked out by Gaku. I didn't want him following me home and saying too much around my dad. Of course, it's not like he didn't know where I lived, but I guess I didn't wanna be there if there was any confrontation. She had a weird looking, thick glass box of some kind, with a cushion inside. It was used for sending animals into space, and had some mechanism she'd taken off that opened it, once a certain orbit. She'd gone through a lot of trouble just because I wanted to bring my cat, but she hardly said anything to me until then._

"Oh..." He says after a moment. "I deballed him, then sent him home."

Blinking at him, Haruko then laughs, almost falling backwards on the stoop they sit on before seeming to beam. "You're learning already! Whadjya say??"

He

"Oh, basically I told him that I was just better in every possible way, and that, unlike him, I really know how to swing a bat. He tried to take me in for...uh... interfering with a federal investigation until I said 'What do you think she'd do if she comes back and I'm not here'? After I told him Atimosk wasn't a threat, I walked off and I guess he went somewhere to sulk or something childish like that." Naota smirks a bit as he continues eating normally, slurping at his ramen.

Raising her brows and seeming generally impressed, Haruko only smirks audibly as she takes another bite before stating scoldingly. "You bought the ex_pensive_ kind, didn't you?"

"It was the only kind they _had_." Naota grunts back with a shrug.

Looking up at the sky, Haruko takes a moment before leaning against the younger man with a soft admittance. "...I do love you, Naota..." Before she leans off of him once more, taking a large bite of her ramen, making a nearly disgustingly loud slurping sound.

Blinking at her, turning to stare for a moment, a smile comes to the older looking male's face but he just murmurs back. "I love you, too, Haruko." Before he goes back to eating his own ramen.

Seeming thoughtful for a moment, the expression quickly fades before she asks, with a mouth full of noodles, "So when do you think we should go? We could leave toni--" But her words are halted as she squints softly, watching the shadow of Gaku coming down the street. This time, he seems alone, though still dressed in his typical way; a dress suit of grey and dress shoes. "What's he doing here a_gain_...?"

"Don't know." Naota mutters before he stands. "But I don't like it at all..."

Slowly rolling to a stop, Gaku leans the motorbike a bit as he braces it up with one leg and folds his arms over the handlebars. He seems to address only Haruko at the moment. "So what'll you do, now that you have Atimosk's power, eh Raharu? I guess you're done with this planet aren't you?"

"Prooobablyyyy..." She answers, leaning back before downing the juice in her ramen bowl, lifting it with one hand and letting out a satisfied sigh.

Frowning gently, he turns to look at Naota. "And you... you've seriously got him all locked up in your N.O.?"

Seeming thoughtful a moment, Naota's eyes flicker before he mutters. "...Probably."

Blinking, his face falling, Gaku whimpers. "...Oh great, she's corrupting you..."

Grinning broadly, a slightly crazed look enters her eyes and a humored sound slips from between her teeth, Haruko tosses the bowl aside before leaning against Naota and drawing her tongue over his cheek. "Takun's always been pretty manly, pyon. But now he's super-manly!" She states, resting a hand on his chest and raking her fingernails down, keeping her eyes locked onto the red haired man.

"But he's just a kid!" Gaku grunts before he frowns.

"I guess that means, when I really do grow up, I'll be inhumanly manly." Naota states as he looks up at Gaku with a light frown, making the older man twitch. "Just like there's some adults who never grow up..."

"But.. I've grown up a _lot_ since then." Gaku persists before Naota then scoffs.

"You haven't grown up at all. You're still a whining little boy stuck on someone who's way out of your league. You didn't grow up; you just got old." And while Gaku just stands there in struck silence, Haruko all but swoons as she scrambles into Naota's lap, who actually seems able to hold her at this point without her being almost a foot taller than him. He just continues to stare at Gaku, as he puts his arms around the pink haired girl, who's jaw hangs open with his glasses sliding down his nose. "Is something the matter, officer?"

"I-I'm a _federal agent!_ Not some beat cop!" Gaku whines before Naota shoots back.

"Then get off the beat and handle some federal case like ...I dunno, corporate embezzlement or something. My girlfriend and I are just... enjoying the night air."

.

Sagging deeply, Gaku just stares and then sags before slumping and starting up his motorbike.

"How's your body feeling?" Haruko asks with a large grin before leaning in to bite his ear almost harshly. "We haven't had sex in over half a week."

Flinching a bit at the bite, then chewing his own lip, Naota shivers a bit before uttering, as he hears the motorbike start to drive off. "I...think I can manage..."

"Then come _on_!" She urges forcefully, grabbing his hand as she jumps off of his lap and tugs him towards the house.

Stumbling a bit after her, Naota then roots his feet and stops, actually able to stop Haruko in her tracks before he utters a bit quietly. "Wait.. I'm not really... comfortable doing it here, anymore..."

"Then where the hell do you _wanna_ do it then??" She snaps back, becoming highly agitated as she growls softly and all but throws his hand down and out of her grasp.

"Uh, I dunno.. you still have some of that money? You said you didn't need it, right? We'll.. stay at a motel then leave in the morning." He offers with a gentle shrug.

"I gave you all my money, remember?" She answers back sardonically, rolling her eyes high into her head as he body seems to rise slightly with the motion before sagging once more.

"..It's hard to remember stuff without a brain.." Naota points out a bit exasperatedly with a slight squint before he sighs and then looks through his wallet. "We should have enough I guess..."

"I'm not going to one of those slum motels." She answers with a slight grumble before almost whining. "Why don't we just go tonight. All of headquarters is moving toward here anyway and I'll be irritated if they get near Andromeda before us."

"Alright.." The younger man states with another shrug. "Let's go then."

* * *

"Whadda you _mean_ you're not coming with us??" Haruko questions Kanti incredulously who just rubs the back of his head and begins scrawling a message across his screen.

-I still need to fix the house before I leave. What would you do if someone messed up your place then bailed?-

"I'd kill 'em!" She grunts back before Kanti nods. "But he can't kill _us_!"

-Just the same... I mean, give the man a break; his only son just died you know- :-(

Rolling her eyes deeply, Haruko grunts. "Fine... you got two--no, make that _one_ week!" She states poignantly, putting up a finger before grumbling. "...Though you really should come with us so you know how to get there..."

-No problem. I'll just track you using Atimosk's N.O. as a beacon.- :-)


	5. Chapter 5: Congratulations

"...And my apartment needs cleaning.." She adds, muttering under her breath, making Kanti let out a mechanical sigh before he goes back to putting in the new window.

Hearing a car drive up to the front of the house, Naota blinks curiously and frowns. Assuming it might be a federal car, he steps to the side of Kanti and peers down. A handsome Japanese man, looking about his same age steps around to the passenger side of the car to open the door for a semi-short haired strawberry blonde Caucasian woman. Naota's face falls a bit as he stares in disbelief. "...no..."

Looking over his shoulder curiously, Haruko blinks once and raises a brow before she points past him almost incredulously. "It's _him_!"

Blinking oddly, and craning his head around to look at Haruko, the dark haired man then furrows his brows as he asks. "....How did you know what he looked like?"

"I read your mail." She answers simply as she watches the two walk up to the house and then leans back away from the window. "You had a picture of him and his new girlfriend. She was prettier in the picture, pyon." She states casually, picking at her ear slightly. "She looks kinda useless, too. I bet Sameji gave better head. hehe..."

Staring at Haruko as he starts to blush deeply, Naota quickly looks off before he just grunts. "...Let's go."

"Oh we can't leave yet." She answers quickly, spinning once and causing her sweater to fly across the room before stopping and smiling broadly, standing in her maid attire.

"What do you mean?? A minute ago, we were getting ready to just leave." Naota presses a bit as he just furrows his brows.

"Thrilling climax!" She states, raising her guitar high into the air.

"...What climax? It's not like I can talk to him." Naota points out, reminding the pink haired woman again. "I'm dead."

"You could write a note." She retorts with a soft snicker. "You could write a letter about how he wrote you a letter, but didn't write Sameji one."

Slowly lowering his head as a vaguely shadowed and thoughtful look comes over his face, Naota begins rambling a bit. "...You mean how he dropped her without a word? And how I had to pick up the pieces, how she broke down and became obsessed? Everything was Takkun... and about how thinking about him... made me inspired, and disgusted all at once, because of how he treated her...."

"You should probably write all that down... It sounds pretty good!" She states, quickly procuring a notebook and pen. "I get to proofread! Heee!"

Sitting on the bed silently, Naota begins to write, spelling out the words he had just spoken while coming up with new material all the while. Things about how he finally swung the bat, and how he was the one to rescue Mamimi, and after that she left and was finally getting over him, and how all her problems were his fault, and he should have been man enough to swing the bat himself and tell her.

Once he seemed done, Haruko quickly takes it from him and looks it over as if reading a spine-chilling novel; an almost demonic grin spreading across her lips before she delicately places it onto his desk and puts the pen away back into Naota's pencil jar. Then strumming her fingers together, she stops a minute to try and listen down the stairs for any conversation. Moments later, she all but skips out into the hall and seems to disappear before the tall form of Tasuku steps into the doorway, a solemn look on his face.

He looks around the room for a moment before his eyes center on Naota and he blinks, lingering for a moment before he shakes his head slightly and turns away, looking over the room again a bit more. "Hello..."

Seeming frozen for a moment, Naota then just nods slowly and sighs. "Hi... I... er... I'm just staying here the night... I'll... probably be gone before morning."

Nodding once and seeming to leave no further thought upon the subject, the man walks in and sighs deeply, putting his hands on his hips as his eyes move across the room once more. When they then settle and he blinks before reaching into the garbage can, pulling out a thin magazine, and dusting it off slightly. "What the hell...?"

His eyes widening, as the realization comes to him of exactly what his brother is looking at, Naota bites his lip tightly before stating quickly. "Uh...! The stupid robot got the wrong one. But you can't return that kind of stuff even with a receipt." Then at Kanti's incredulous look, Naota looks off and he emits a mechanized sigh again.

Raising a brow at the other young man, he seems weary before flipping through the book once slightly as if looking for something then quickly throws it away with a bit of a nod. It's only another moment before he picks up the notebook atop the desk and glances at it before doubletaking and his eyes soften before they begin to move across the letter, a misty eyed expression coming to his dark orbs. Moments go by and Tasuku seems as if he reads it for a second time, his eyes honestly seeming hurt before the hand holding the notebook drops and a sad, distant look is shown in his eyes as he stares out the new window. He then flinches as he seems honestly about to cry before closing his eyes and turning off, a dark shadow casting over his face. "...I know I messed up... but are those really... his last words to me...? Was I really that bad... of a brother to him... that one mess-up, as big as it was... that's all he thought of me..."

Biting his lip tightly as he keeps his eyes averted, Naota swallows and frowns before he sighs and stands. An uncertainty settles on him that makes him flinch softly and he shakes uneasily and he faces his brother's back. "...Sometimes, people need to get things off their chest. I'm sure he probably still cared a lot about you, if, even now, no one's really allowed to be on the top bunk."

"My brother... you didn't know him like I did..." The older man states as he gently rests the notebook onto the desk, letting his hand fall away limply. "When he said something, he meant it... if you didn't listen it was your own fault... if he had anything else to say, he would have said it...I guess I really struck out with him..." At his words, a heaviness comes to his shoulders and they roll forward and he starts from the room, his confident stance now gone as he walks more like a tired old man.

"Maybe you could try... somehow... to fix it." Naota offers. "Even if it's not the same well.. at least he'll know you tried. Sometimes, that's enough."

"I don't even know where she is... I stopped at a gas station to fill my rent-a-car, and her dad was--" Blinking and turning quickly, his eyes suddenly narrow as he asks. "Wait, what do you mean, fix it?"

Blinking back innocently, Naota then shrugs a bit. "...Sometimes... even a prayer.. can reach those that are.. uh... passed..." Then he looks down and points out. "But you said 'her' so.. it probably means some ex-girlfriend or something, huh? ...I'm not trying to get in your way at all, but do you think... your brother might have kept a journal or something? Was he that kind of guy? Maybe you could start there."

Frowning, though seeming thoughtful, the man then turns and sighs, walking into the boy's room before sifting through some things, poking around the bed and desk before eventually coming across the journal. Flopping onto the bed, he becomes almost deathly silent as he begins to read from the beginning of the book, his eyes moving across the pages in a way only someone who has taken speed reading courses could.

Watching a moment, Naota suddenly blinks in revelation before turning for the door and walking on as casually as he can. "Well.. see ya." Before he walks out of the room, then looks around quickly. "Haruko..??"

"..this sure is getting interesting..." She answers, hidden within the shadows not far outside of the boy's room.

"Uh huh.. let's go." He states quickly and expectantly.

"_Now_??" She asks incredulously, stepping out from the darkness and pouting as she crosses her arms with a frown, turning towards the door in agitation. "You're going to be such a buzz kill, aren't you..." She says as more of a statement than a question as she reaches around herself and all but rips off her maid's uniform, revealing her more typical undergarb beneath, sans coat.

"It was your idea to leave without anybody knowing who I am. I'm just sticking to it." He points back simply.

"Bah!" She spits back, sticking out her tongue at him before starting down the stairs. "Well, since we're leaving Kanti for now, I guess we're ready... damn."

* * *

"So, how's your 'breathing'." Haruko asks as she turns over her shoulder at Naota while the two pass Mars, her thighs locked tightly onto her vespa.

"A little... heavy..." He mutters quickly. The burned symbol on his forehead glowing like a beacon as Atimosk's power projects a protective bubble of air around him, though weakly from his inexperience.

"When you get used to it more, you'll get better at doing it yourself." She assures in an uncharacteristically comforting manner as she leans forward and puts on some speed as she adds. "Hold on a little tighter... We should find the ship sent for us soon, okay? After we get past Saturn, we'll be half way to where we need to meet them."

"...Alright." He returns before tightening his grip; consequently scooting in closer to her, his chin resting near her temple as he watches over the top of her head. He blinks again and then chortles once.

"Eh?" She asks, turning her head slightly to him before blinking up with a slight sigh as her cheeks flush slightly.

"It's just... funny... kinda... I can see right over you..." He states with a fairly confident looking smirk.

"I would have thought you to be more impressed with the view." She scoffs, though she smiles as they press on into the asteroid belt. "You're _really_ gonna need to hold on now..!" She calls in warning as her vespa begins to swerve quickly around the floating rocks.

Calling out in surprise, his eyes widening a little, Naota offers quickly. "W-wouldn't it be... easier to fly _over_ this...?"

"Yeah, but it'll take longer!" She laughs maniacally, speeding up further. The next few minutes seem like hours as the pink haired young woman cackles in glee, smashing away rocks with her guitar and zooming clear around others while Naota watches in half-horror and worry, cursing gently as he flinches away from remnants of those same rocks.

Panting shortly, Naota mumbles as they come out the other side. "...whoa it'll take a minute to get used to that, too..."

"A minute's about all you're gonna have." She grins evilly as she keeps at her same speed, making a point too steer completely clear of Jupiter.

"I meant the whole... ducking asteroids thing..." He points out. "...Mine can't be the only solar system with one..."

"Nope. Heck, there's one I found that has a ring of ricocheting comets. Those are _fun_." She coos and chuckles, squinting her eyes from behind her goggles. "We'll be getting there soon. Don't worry about first impressions or anything. You'll be getting arrested pretty fast."

"ARRESTED!? BECAUSE OF ATIMOSK!?" Naota suddenly shouts, his eyes widening. "Why didn't you TELL me that sooner??"

"Because I'm going to be getting you out within a few days." She responds obviously, raising a brow and rolling her eyes with a grunt.

Grunting back, then suddenly squinting, Naota unwraps one hand from around her to put it against his head. "Ugh... I got... a migraine all of the sudden... like..." Then he blinks and closes his eyes tightly, putting the hand over the glowing symbol on his forehead.

It takes little time before the vision of a large space station comes into view, anchored a bit beyond Pluto in the orbit of a nearby planet in the next solar system. Coming up to it, Haruko moves towards a door, more than big enough to comfortably fit the tiny vespa within as she sails it in, landing it in a high-tech, though sterile white and steely grey docking station.

Looking around, still covering the symbol on his forehead, Naota swallows somewhat uncomfortably as he looks around nervously, seeming to be expecting to be suddenly rushed and pulled from the vespa, handcuffed and hauled away.

As a small group of what he can only assume to be space patrol officers, via their similar uniforms, if one could call them that rather than costumes, approaches the motorized bike, Haruko shifts and steps off of it, pulling off her helmet with a confident grin.

"You're late." A tall man offers with a smirk, putting out his hand to her. "Welcome back, Officer Raharu."

"If I'm late, then I'm on time." She answers in a droll tone, taking his hand and shaking it before jabbing a thumb back at the vespa. "There's the kid, and the cat is in the box at the back of my vespa."

As two other officers approach the vespa to be Naota's 'escort', he climbs off the bike slowly, still covering the symbol on his forehead, though the glow can be spotted faintly between his fingers. He pants gently as his eyes squint in concentration against the steadily growing headache, causing him to mutter out loud to Haruko. "...he is so... pissed..."

"Then we'll just have to make sure you're comfortable until he's sealed fully in your N.O." The other man, about the same height as Naruto states as Haruko continues at this point to try and pull her hand away from him, seeming fairly ignored as she grumbles until he releases her and raises a brow with a grin, walking up to the younger man. "You hear that, Atimosk? You're going to be in prison for a very, very long time."

The symbol on Naota's head pulsates suddenly as the hand covering it snaps forward in an attempt to grab the closer officer around the neck, but Naota reaches up with his other hand, gripping his own wrist tightly as his digits tremble inches away. He grits his teeth as he frowns and scolds derisively. "Don't antagonize the giant _space pirate_ in my HEAD please??"

Chuckling lightheartedly as he seems undaunted, the brunette only nods once, leaning back to add to Naota. "The procedure will hurt you both a lot. I hope you're prepared. I hear it's ex_treme_ly painful." He states with a friendly smile before turning and walking towards the door as those holding Naota follow with Haruko at his side. "I'll need to de-brief you soon, Raharu. I can only hope to be so lucky as for you to do the same to me." He chuckles, only making her grumble softly.

"I don't think so..."

Seeming thoughtful a moment, Naota's brows raise suddenly before his eyes narrow at the back of the officer's head, and then he just looks off incredulously.

* * *

"...gonna wake up some time soon, kid...?" A muffled voice asks of Naota as he lies on a bed in a white room. When his eyes open slowly, they stare up at a beacon of color within; Haruko.

Blinking and squinting from the light, Naota covers his eyes with a grunt as he starts to sit up. He rubs his eyes as they adjust to the light and finally puts his hand down. The feeling of something covering his ears and forehead becomes more apparent and he can feel the gauze of a bandage as he reaches up to check. "....ow."

"Well, they _do_ have to go in through the _ears_..." She offers, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking in her ear slightly, only to produce a small hunk of amber and fling it into the sterilely clean wall in front of her with a satisfied smile.

"I... thought it'd be somethin' like when you pulled out the guitar." He admits, still frowning a bit. "I'm surprised I can even hear anything."

"They removed your eardrum before they really got started." She clarifies, looking around the room as she yawns and lays back across his legs. "Putting stuff back in's harder, unless it's someone like you or Atimosk, putting it into your _own_ head. ...This place makes me feel all...clean. Not like shower clean, either."

"Well.. this is just the hospital, right...?" Naota asks cautiously.

"It's the _police station_ hospitalization ward." She clarifies again with another yawn. "You'll heal pretty fast, so after your arraignment, they'll let you start work."

"Work...? You mean like some kinda community service or something? How they make the prisoners--"

"No, _stupid_, as a _space_ patrol officer.." She grumbles before whining. "This is BORING..."

Blinking and then staring at her, Naota then sags. "You... left that out, too..."

"You wanna go back?" She asks simply, staring at the ceiling as she lets a gentle frown cross her face.

"Not without you..." He states quickly, then adds in afterthought. "Besides, wouldn't I be a fugitive if I did that..?"

"Probably. I doubt you'd get far alone." She confirms, adding casualty. "Oh... Miyu-Miyu's been shaved, too."

Blinking and staring at her, his eyes squinted, Naota just sighs before asking. "....why?"

"Contaminants. Earth _is_ a pretty primitive planet." Scratching her head a bit, the alien turns to him slightly with a grin. "How do you feel _now_?"

"...Tired." He grumbles back. "Just not in as much pain."

"You're still just a kid.." She smirks and sits up with a sigh. "Well, at this rate, you'll be out tonight. About time... You took a whole fifteen minutes to wake up after the seal was put in. Very boring.."

"...Fifteen minutes...?" He blinks slowly before grumbling as he flops back and puts his hands over his face. "..No wonder I'm still tired.."

"Stop whining! We've got a lotta stuff to do, and not a lotta time to do it.." She yells the first in agitation, though seeming a bit calmer at the end with a frown.

"What're you talking about?" He blinks at her, furrowing his brows.

"I need to get a bigger bed, you need clothes, my apartment hasn't got ANY food..." She starts before sighing loudly.

"Well we can't start until I'm released anyway..." Naota mutters. "So I should get as much rest as possible. ...No one was digging around in your head today. At least yours didn't hurt as much."

"I'm close to grabbing you and leaving, ya big baby." She scolds in an irritated, yet playful way, letting a dark grin overtake her features. "I really should..."

"Hm. I forgot who I was talking to. Miss Let's-do-it-even-though-I've-got-a-bleeding-wound Girl." Then seeming thoughtful he asks. "...Should I keep calling you Haruko, or do you want me to call you Raharu while we're here?"

"...Raharu is my name, but you can call me what you want." She offers, an oddly guilty look in her eyes that is quickly pushed aside with a shrug.

"Oh." He answers ponderously before he just grins. "Well... I really like the name Haruko. I dunno if it's because it's Japanese or not and... you don't seem to really _like_ your real name a whole lot."

Grinning back a bit, she only nods before crawling up on the bed a bit, moving slowly to lay on top of him. "Yeah... I like that idea..."

Looking up at her now he blushes a bit but then reaches up to wrap his arms around her. "...Maybe someday I'll get a tolerance for pain like you've got, too..."

"One day'll have to happen pretty soon, too. I haven't let myself have a partner in a long time for more than one reason, in more than one way." She murmurs, biting his ear harshly as she nuzzles against him. "You've got the power, so you'll have to learn how to not only keep up, but let me use your power at least to be an asset... Got it..?"

"Yeah.." He nods slightly while seeming thoughtful as well.

"Mmm... I'm surprised you haven't scolded me yet... You're distracted..." The yellow eyed woman groans, grinding her hips against his before she catches her breath and shivers once, feeling him start to harden against her.

Groaning once, Naota then flinches slightly. "H-here...? But... isn't there surveillance?"

"So..?" She asks, grinning as she grinds down against him and licks her lips, rubbing his chest harshly. "Besides, it's your head that hurts, not your body... heheheh..."

"But the cameras..." He points out, blushing deeply as he looks around quickly.

"So?" She asks again, nibbling at his neck as she reaches down to pull his erection free of his hospital pants with a sigh. "It's so big, pyon..."

The young black haired man just bites his lip and blushes deeper as he swallows harshly in embarrassment.

"..you have a sexy body... don't be so boring..." She coos, shifting a bit to slip her lower half under the covers and out of her pants and panties to push him up into the folds of her womb with a moan.

Gasping a bit at her speed, Naota just blinks as his eyes widen a bit. Then he just swallows before uttering. "It's just..."

"You're embarrassed of me?" She asks, moving her lips down to his neck to kiss there gently.

"N-no!" he states quickly. "Just... of people watching.."

"It's not like we're making a porn..." She murmurs, biting his neck and digging her canines down slightly with a soft sound of enjoyment as she slides her hips, making him slide into her shallowly.

Straightening a bit at her bite, he groans again and shivers at her warmth and wetness. His eyes blurring softly he just swallows as the blush on his face spreads down his neck. He falls mostly quiet as he holds on to her hips and begins panting softly as his heart rate picks up.

"..that's it, Takun...mmm..." She moans happily, lifting herself off of him slightly to sit up straight. Her grin stays, though it seems a bit less crazed than usual, and more so just happily as she rocks her hips back and forth, gasping and shuttering as she does. "...mmmm, Takun... I can feel it...riding you like this..." Leaning against him as she still grins, she continues with a nip at his ear. "...It's poking...right against it..."

He only groans deeply in response, his face still flushed brightly as he throbs against her inner walls and grips her ass tightly in his bigger hands. "H-Haruko..."

Panting softly, she whines and grinds harder, biting his neck tightly and drawing her tongue over the blood that seeps into her mouth. "Mmm, Takun..!"

Flinching and grunting out loud, Naota shivers as his grip on her tightens even more, his stronger and larger hands clenching harder than before on her hips as he groans more loudly. "Haruko!"

"Ah! Deeper, Takun! It's pushing right against it!" She cries out, her thighs clenching around his hips, her teeth releasing him as she cringes slightly and pants softly. "..cum...deep inside it.. ..I wanna see if I can..."

Blinking his eyes open wide, Naota gasps and shivers, releasing in the next second just from the thought deep into her body. "Yeah..! I'm doing it...!"

Her mouth flopping open as she calls out in pleasure, Haruko tilts back her head, admitting loudly. "Oh, Takun..! Can you feel it..?? It's going right into my womb..!" She cries, her toes curling beneath the sheets.

"Yeah... I feel it...!" The Japanese boy calls out as he thrusts up against her tightly, grunting out loud as he holds her down against him. "Haruko..!"

Her body straight and rigid, the yellow eyes woman slowly slinks to sigh deeply and lay on top of her lover, nuzzling against his neck as she pants and clenches him deep within her. "...Mmm... You were so big before, Takun... But now, you're huge, pyon... _Sooooo_ manly..."

Panting softly, Naota grins and croons gently a moment before frowning and grunting as he closes his eyes tight; his head beginning to pound once more.

"..I have some melanin in my locker..." The first class space patrol officer offers as she still coaxes his length within her hold, letting out a gentle sigh. "It's like _really_ good aspirin.."

Raising a brow he just nods. "Good.. Okay.. I'm for it...." Making the pink haired girl just blink and then begin cackling. After a moment, Naota blinks back questioningly before he just smirks and then offers. "Hey, Haruko... I love you."

Stopping suddenly, the shorter alien suddenly blushes deeply, scratching the back of her head with a happy smile, seeming almost cutely kitten-like. "..I love you, too, Takun!"

Blinking once again, he then just chuckles a moment and then groans before frowning. "...Okay... time for the super-aspirin, okay...?"

* * *

_What they called 'aspirin' looked more like... some kinda odd candy. In ways, anyhow. Sort of like a gel-cap but with funny colored glitter inside. But I ate it, and it got rid of the headache pretty fast. Problem was, whatever was in there made me sick to my stomach and Haruko's driving didn't help. Then came the shopping mall. There were tons of words and number combinations I didn't understand. On top of everything else that I had to carry, we picked up a book that was gonna teach me how to read their language. ....So much for that so-called 'common'._

Standing and grunting in exertion, Naota stands and frowns gently as Haruko fiddles with the door of her apartment and then shoves the door open, causing a shifting crunching sound that can only be made by mountains of left-over containers; cans, boxes, and the like, piled in bags nearby. Following her in he blinks and stops, frowning deeply. "........."

"Well, we're home." Haruko offers in an unimpressed yawn as she motions out a hand across the living room. The apartment is a very nice, even posh set up, being similar in ways to an Earth penthouse loft with a large picture window that stares out into the beautiful abyss of space. Yet, piled before it, and around the room, are everything from leftover restaurant containers to dirty clothes, used towels to empty chip bags and more.

"Oh... man...." Naota mutters as his brow twitches. Sighing then, he lets go of the shopping bags in the middle of the floor and begins to pick a few of the empty containers off the floor. Whatever might have been leftover inside is beyond smelling at this point; mostly dried out to the point that even fungus has given up hope with nothing left to feed off of. "How do you....? Ugh... never mind... where's the garbage?" And when she points toward a door on the wall as she stumbles toward her room, Naota blinks and walks over to pull it open with a loud creaking. "You mean you don't even have a can that needs emptied? You just throw it down here?"

"Yep..." She responds before disappearing into a back room he ends up assuming is the bedroom. "Must sleep now..."

"Sleep?" He grunts back almost incredulously.

"Well it's not like there's anything _else_ to do...besides, I haven't yet." She mutters before closing the door.

Frowning still, the young man seems thoughtful a moment before he just sighs and softens then goes about cleaning once more. It takes hours to clear the trash out of the apartment into the garbage chute, and beyond that, he finds more clothes; disguises, outfits, styles stolen from countless places and probably all from places she had gone following Atimosk. These he starts separating until segregated loads are established. Upon finding the laundry room, and shoveling more things out of the way, makes his way to what he figures must be the washing machine and piles in the first load. Once this is done he begins on the dishes.

By the time the proverbial sun rises through the picture window of the apartment, Haruko's living space is much larger than it once was and the floor has even been vacuumed as well as the furniture and the curtains. Looking around a moment, he nods and then sighs figuring that in a couple minutes of sitting he'll be exhausted since he isn't already and flops down onto the once brown, now green couch.

Fifteen minutes later, a scantily clad in pink Haruko stumbles from the back room rubbing her eyes before looking to Naota oddly. "...There's a TV, ya know..."

Blinking up at Haruko, Naota then furrows his brows thoughtfully and mutters. "...I thought I'd be asleep by now... I'm not even tired.."

"Probably Atimosk's power." She murmurs, moving forward to slip into his lap. "..Ya didn't come in like I thought you would..."

"I just sat down a few minutes ago." He explains, still thoughtfully. "I've been cleaning all night...."

"Then what are you complaining for?" She asks, raising a brow before honestly pouting slightly. "I'm the one who should complain. You should be using all that energy on me!" She all but calls, frowning deeply.

Blinking at her, Naota then frowns a little and looks down. "....Sorry. I just couldn't relax with... things the way they were. But look; your apartment's actually really nice."

Blinking once and looking around, now being more awake, Haruko's jaw flops open as her eyes grow wide. "...Holy shit."

"Yeah.." Naota nods a bit and smiles slightly. "I was actually pretty surprised I didn't find any bugs..."

Turning back to him and raising a brow, she scoffs seeming humored as she answers back obviously. "Duh..."

"Uh huh. It took a minute, but then I realized that as sterile as the rest of this place is, there couldn't be bugs. We're gonna have to watch Miyu-Miyu, though... stupid cat actually tried eating something he found in one of those boxes..." Naota points out with another sigh. "We should probably think of getting pet food for him."

"Why don't we just give him leftovers? I don't even know if they sell cat food here. I'd have to go all the way back to Earth to get it; or somewhere else. Or some other type of pet food." She states, glancing under her dining room table at the shaven, pissed off cat, angrily hiding underneath before turning back to Naota and straddling herself on his lap with a grin.

"Or have Kanti do it." Naota offers one last time before seeming to finally take in the woman seated on him. He grins a bit before offering slightly. "You look nice this morning, though..."

Blinking at him a bit oddly, she only smirks before offering simply. "Just wearing my PJs."

"Yeah.. but.. it's still nice." He insists and then licks his lips. "And I _still_ have a ton of energy left. And neither of us is bleeding or injured for once...."

"Go for it, pyon. My morning's wide open..." She grins, already making to release him from the confines of his new pants.

* * *

"It couldn't have been _that_ bad..." Haruko grumbles as she escorts Naota from the jail holding area of the space station a week later. She wears her space patrol officer uniform, which Naota now knows to be specific to first class officers; at least the halo and wings. He wears a similar uniform, sans halo, wings, or any commending marks, of which Haruko is covered.

"I just don't like getting punished for something I didn't do, and that's what it felt like. It's not like I'm blaming _you_ or anything..." The dark haired man mutters back to her.

"Anyway, I've got good news, better news, and bad news." She states, seeming unconcerned as they walk on through the slightly busy walkways of the space station.

"Well, what is it?" He asks, to which she responds.

"Which one do you want first?"

"It doesn't really matter." He answers, making her grunt before becoming silent. After a minute he blinks and looks at her oddly. "What?"

"If it doesn't really matter, you don't really _care_. You can find out for yourself." She grunts back, slinging her guitar over her shoulder.

"It's not like I don't care, I'm just trying to go with things right now since I'm no where near my element." He explains. "..Just kinda letting you lead and tell me what's best. I don't really know otherwise in a place like this."

"...What the hell does that have to do with wanting to hear good news or bad news first?" She points out, turning and raising a brow over to him then turning away, adding. "Losing your opinion just because you're in a weird place isn't very manly, pyon."

"...Fine. Let me hear the bad news first then, and we'll just go up from there." He offers with a sigh.

"Today's your first day at work." She offers blandly, sulking a bit as she mutters. "..Which means I'm also already being put back to work... I only had a week off..."

Blinking a little, Naota just raises a brow. "....Oh." Then after another moment he sighs. "....what's the good news?"

"We've been cleared for you to be my partner." She offers as they step into the space patrol office and she walks up to the front desk.

"That's good." He offers with a nod before asking. "The better news?"

Taking a card with their assignment, she looks it over before pulling a small, slender, white tube from her pocket, tossing it at him as she walks towards the docking bay.

"Haruko?" Naota urges as he follows her.

"Press the _button_." She growls, rolling her eyes as she pulls out her odd looking keychain and filtering through it.

Blinking sheepishly, Naota says nothing else but just presses the button on the tube, prompting a soothing female voice to emanate from it.

_"You are--positive. Congratulations."_

Blinking oddly, and furrowing his brows, Naota just mutters. "...Positive what?"

"...it worked.." Is all she answers with, staying faced away from him as she continues into the docking bay they left her vespa in.

Watching her a moment in confusion while remaining rooted in place, Naota then becomes thoughtful for a moment before his eyes suddenly widen and he rushes forward to catch up with her. "Y-you mean this is....? and.... you .... already??"

"It isn't better news?" She asks, turning to him with a raised brow. "As much of the stuff as you were pumping into me, I kinda thought that was the end _goal_, you know?" Putting out a hand, the pink haired woman shifts slightly to stand more on one leg.

Blushing a bit, then rubbing the back of his head, Naota grins sheepishly as he offers. "I'm just kinda surprised. I thought you had to wait ...at least a month or something before there was even a chance at finding out... this is... pretty high tech..."

"Uh-huh.." She states with a nod, snatching it back from him. "I sure hope you have Atimosk's longevity now. I'm not gonna raise a kid by myself in eighty years..."

(To be continued)


End file.
